The Cesar Chavez Champions will take on the Gila Ridge Hawks in a tournament on Friday. Cesar Chavez is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 11.2 runs per game this season.
Cesar Chavez took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They were the clear victors by a 21-1 margin over Winslow. The high-scoring effort was just what the Champions needed considering they were shut out in their previous game.
Aaron Torres
| 04/03/25 vs Winslow | 3 |
| 03/17/25 @ Highland | 2 |
| 03/28/25 vs South Mountain | 1 |
| 02/26/25 vs Kellis | 1 |
Aaron Torres and Glen Ermish dominated on the mound. Torres tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit, while Ermish pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. The dominant performance also gave Torres a new career-high in strikeouts (three).
At the plate, Adolfo Pacheco was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with four runs, four RBI, and one triple. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in February. Cesar Valentin-Rochin was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Cesar Chavez was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .630. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Gila Ridge had to endure a nine-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past North Canyon 7-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Hawks have posted since April 15, 2024.
Jacobo Hernandez was a major factor no matter where he played. He tossed seven innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off ten hits. Hernandez was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one triple and one double. That double was his first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Luke Foppe, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-3. He is becoming a predictor of Gila Ridge's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 2-1 (and 0-9 when he doesn't).
Cesar Chavez's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-6. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 21.0 runs over those games. As for Gila Ridge, their win bumped their record up to 2-10.
Gila Ridge's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Cesar Chavez has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .569. It's a different story for Gila Ridge, though, as they've only averaged .359. Will they be able to contain Cesar Chavez's hitters? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
