Moon Valley is 2-8 against Shadow Mountain since April of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Rockets will take on the Matadors at 3:45 p.m. Moon Valley will be strutting in after a win while Shadow Mountain will be coming in after a loss.
Having struggled with ten defeats in a row, Moon Valley turned things around against Agua Fria on Monday. They were the clear victors by a 14-3 margin over the Owls. Considering the Rockets' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Samuel Peterson
| 03/03/26 @ Tempe | 3 |
| 04/13/26 vs Agua Fria | 2 |
| 03/12/26 @ Washington | 2 |
| 03/05/26 vs Cactus | 2 |
| 02/25/26 @ Cortez | 2 |
| + 1 more games |
Samuel Peterson made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out six batters over three innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one hit in five consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI. Moon Valley is 4-1 when Peterson posts two or more stolen bases, but 0-13 otherwise.
In other batting news, Trevor Michaels and Harlan Marquez-Hill did most of the damage at the plate: Michaels went 3-for-4 with four stolen bases, four runs, and one RBI, while Marquez-Hill went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two doubles, and one triple. Michaels is becoming a predictor of Moon Valley's success: when he posts at least three hits the team is 2-1 (and 2-13 when he doesn't). Henry Garcia also deserves some recognition as he scored his first run of the season.
Moon Valley always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .605. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Shadow Mountain fell victim to Paradise Honors and their airtight pitching crew on Monday. They lost 18-0 to the Panthers. The contest marked the first time this year in which the Matadors were not able to get on the board.
The victory was their first at home, bumping their record up to 4-14. As for Shadow Mountain, they now have a losing record of 9-10-1.
Moon Valley's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's game. The Rockets have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.1 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Shadow Mountain, though, as they've been averaging only 1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Moon Valley continue to outrun the ball?
Moon Valley might still be hurting after the 15-3 loss they got from Shadow Mountain in their previous meeting back in April of 2025. Can the Rockets avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
