Pima barely beat Morenci the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Roughriders put the hurt on the Wildcats with a sharp 16-4 victory on Wednesday. The Roughriders' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Efrain Hernandez was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He tossed five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits. Hernandez was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with two runs and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Tanner Smith, who went 1-for-3 with three RBI and two runs. Those three RBI gave him a new career-high.
Roughriders
| 03/11/26 vs Morenci | 16-4 |
| 03/07/26 vs Fountain Hills | 5-4 |
| 03/07/26 vs Tempe Prep | 12-8 |
| 03/06/26 @ Phoenix Country Day | 12-6 |
| 03/03/26 @ St. Johns | 15-1 |
The win (which was Pima's fifth in a row) raised their record to 5-4. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.0 runs over those games. As for Morenci, they are on a seven-game losing streak (dating back to last season) that has dropped them down to 0-6.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Pima will host Snowflake at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The Roughriders' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Lobos have averaged an impressive 7.2 runs per game this season. As for Morenci, they will welcome Santa Cruz Valley at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. The Wildcats will need to watch out since the Dust Devils have now posted at least ten runs in their last three matchups.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
