Valley Union hasn't had much luck against St. David recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Blue Devils will face off against the Tigers at 3:45 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Tuesday, Valley Union was able to grind out a solid victory over Duncan, taking the game 5-2. The win continues a trend for the Blue Devils in their matchups with the Wildkats: they've now won five in a row.
Steven Delacruz
| 03/18/25 @ Bisbee | 3 |
| 04/10/25 vs Mogollon | 2 |
| 04/15/25 @ Duncan | 1 |
| 03/03/25 vs Duncan | 1 |
Steven Delacruz made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching three innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. He has become a key player for Valley Union: the team is 6-2 when he allows at most two earned runs, but 1-2 otherwise. Delacruz was even better at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI. That home run marked the first that he launched this season.
Delacruz wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Dylan Mitchell, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-4.
Meanwhile, St. David entered their tilt with Fort Thomas on Tuesday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They were the clear victors by a 10-3 margin over the Apaches. Considering the Tigers have won six games by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Valley Union, St. David also got a great game from a two-way player: Owen Judd. On the mound, he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Judd has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Cedar Haynie was incredible, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 4-for-5. Those four hits gave him a new career-high. Luke Haymore was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances.
St. David kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in four consecutive contests.
Valley Union's record now sits at 7-4. As for St. David, they now have a winning record of 7-6-1.
Valley Union might still be hurting after the 16-3 defeat they got from St. David in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Blue Devils avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
