Willcox is 0-4 against Empire since March of 2016 but things could change on Tuesday. The Cowboys will welcome the Ravens at 4:00 p.m. Willcox will be looking to extend their current eight-game winning streak.
Willcox barely beat St. Augustine Catholic the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Cowboys blew past the Wolves 17-4 on Monday. Considering the Cowboys have won six matchups by more than seven runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Jahir Reyes got the start for Willcox and what a start it was: he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Reyes has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
Asher Ward
| 03/30/26 vs St. Augustine Catholic | 3 |
| 02/26/26 vs Rincon/University | 0 |
| 04/25/25 @ Tombstone | 1 |
| 04/23/25 @ Miami | 3 |
At the plate, Asher Ward was excellent, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three RBI, one triple, and one run. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April of 2025.
Willcox was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .500. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as St. Augustine Catholic only posted a batting average of .176.
Meanwhile, Empire got themselves on the board against Pima on Wednesday, but Pima never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Roughriders with a sharp 13-0 victory. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Ravens' hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.
Asher Bird was a standout: he went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and one stolen base. He is becoming a predictor of Empire's success: when he posts at least three hits the team is 2-1 (and 5-7 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Colton Irby, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and one stolen base.
Willcox's win bumped their record up to 11-4. As for Empire, their victory bumped their record up to 7-8.
Willcox suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Empire when the teams last played back in March of 2025. Will the Cowboys have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
