The North Canyon Rattlers will take on the Vista Grande Spartans at 3:45 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
North Canyon's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Monday. They were the clear victors by a 17-0 margin over Kellis. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Rattlers as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Luis Alvarez looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out six over four innings pitched. That's the fewest hits he has allowed since back in February.
Emilio Figueroa
| 03/24/25 @ Kellis | 3 |
| 02/28/25 @ North | 2 |
| 02/26/25 @ Thunderbird | 2 |
| 03/17/25 @ Desert Edge | 1 |
| 03/11/25 @ Ironwood | 1 |
At the plate, North Canyon got a massive performance out of Emilio Figueroa, who scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in all five of his plate appearances. Those three runs gave Figueroa a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Hunter Dye, who went 2-for-3 with six RBI and one triple.
North Canyon was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .467. They are 4-1 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Vista Grande entered their tilt with Casa Grande on Thursday with five consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with six. They put the hurt on the Cougars with a sharp 13-1 win. That 12 run margin sets a new team best for the Spartans this season.
Aiden Montiel made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out eight over five innings pitched. Montiel was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Ruben Baca was a standout: he scored two runs while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. Eltorna Gant III was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3.
Vista Grande pushed their record up to 8-2-1 with the victory, which was their sixth straight on the road. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.5 runs over those games. As for North Canyon, they now have a winning record of 6-5.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. North Canyon has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .523. However, it's not like Vista Grande struggles in that department as they've averaged .441. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
North Canyon suffered a grim 12-2 defeat to Vista Grande in their previous meeting back in March of 2018. Will North Canyon have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
