vs
| 05/11/24 - Away | 1-0 W |
| 05/02/24 - Away | 1-4 L |
| 05/04/23 - Home | 2-1 W |
| 05/12/22 - Home | 12-1 W |
| 04/21/22 - Home | 14-4 W |
| + 5 more games |
Ralston Valley is 8-2 against Arvada West since April of 2017 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. The Mustangs will be playing in front of their home fans against the Wildcats at 10:00 a.m. Ralston Valley is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.2 runs per game this season.
Thursday just wasn't the day for Ralston Valley's offense. They came up short against Valor Christian on Thursday, falling 6-0. The loss continues a trend for the Mustangs in their meetings with the Eagles: they've now lost six in a row.
Ralston Valley got a good showing from Porter Peonio, who tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Peonio has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in eight consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Ralston Valley saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mason Gilbreath, who went 1-for-2 with one double.
Meanwhile, Arvada West came tearing into Friday's match with eight straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.1 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They were the clear victors by a 9-3 margin over the Rebels. That's two games straight that the Wildcats have won by exactly six runs.
Luke Alonso made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. What's more, he posted three strikeouts, the most he's had since back in March. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other pitching news, Kolten DeGroot looked comfortable as he struck out seven batters over four innings while giving up three earned runs off four hits.
Back at the plate, Tate Deal was incredible, going 1-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Holden Goodrich was another key player, getting on base in all three of his plate appearances with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Arvada West kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in six consecutive contests.
Arvada West's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-2-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Ralston Valley, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-8.
Saturday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ralston Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .317. However, it's not like Arvada West struggles in that department as they've averaged .346. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Ralston Valley skirted past Arvada West 1-0 when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Do the Mustangs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Wildcats turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
