Baseball Game Preview: Maryvale Panthers vs. Tempe Buffaloes

The Maryvale Panthers will square off against the Tempe Buffaloes at 3:45 p.m. on Friday. Maryvale is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.2 runs per game this season.

While Maryvale's win against Camelback wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Panthers had just enough and edged out the Spartans 4-3 on Thursday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Panthers have posted since March 29, 2024.

Sebastian Gonzalez

Hits Against

03/27/25 vs Cesar Chavez	5
03/03/25 vs Mesa	5
03/17/25 vs Westwood	1
02/26/25 vs Westview	1

Sebastian Gonzalez was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Maryvale is 2-1 when Gonzalez allows one or fewer hits, but 3-6 otherwise. Gonzalez was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 3-for-3. Those two stolen bases gave him a new career-high.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ariel Garcia, who scored a run and stole three bases while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. Angel Morales was another key player, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-4.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Tempe). They were the clear victors by a 15-8 margin over Cortez on Wednesday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Buffaloes considering their one-run performance the contest before.

The win made it two in a row for Maryvale and bumps their season record up to 5-7. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.0 runs over those games. As for Tempe, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-7.