River Valley hasn't had much luck against Yuma Catholic recently, but that could start to change on Monday. River Valley will square off against Yuma Catholic at 3:45 p.m. River Valley will be looking to extend their current three-game winning streak.
River Valley proved they can win big on Tuesday (they won by six) and on Friday they proved they can win the close ones too. They narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past ALA - West Foothills 6-4.
Mickey Gonzalez made a splash while hitting and pitching. He tossed five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Gonzalez was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Zain Bruton, who went 2-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. Jeremiah Putt was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Yuma Catholic got the win against Tonopah Valley on Thursday by a conclusive 11-1. The result was nothing new for the Shamrocks, who have now won ten matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Like River Valley, Yuma Catholic also got a great game from a two-way player: Leonel Avelar. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Avelar has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Yuma Catholic let Joey Carey and Erik Topete run wild. Carey went 1-for-2 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI, while Topete scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Ivan Guzman, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
River Valley's record now sits at 7-2-2. As for Yuma Catholic, their record now sits at 13-1.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. River Valley has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .459. However, it's not like Yuma Catholic struggles in that department as they've averaged .517. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
River Valley might still be hurting after the 7-1 defeat they got from Yuma Catholic in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can River Valley avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
