The Florence Gophers will face off against the ALA - Ironwood Warriors at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Florence will be coming into the contest with an undefeated record on the line.
Florence's tournament run continued when they took on Show Low on Saturday. Florence came out on top against Show Low by a score of 9-6. That's two games straight that the Gophers have won by exactly three runs.
Zane O'Rourke was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. He also hit a double, marking his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Adrian Rodriguez, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, ALA - Ironwood can bid farewell to their five-game losing streak dating back to last season thanks to their game on Thursday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Thatcher 10-9. The Warriors' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Ethan Garcia and Gio Martinez did most of the damage at the plate: Garcia went 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run, while Martinez scored two runs while going 2-for-4. The dominant performance also gave Martinez a new career-high in doubles (two). Liam Wood was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
ALA - Ironwood kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
ALA - Ironwood's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-4. As for Florence, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-0.
ALA - Ironwood's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Florence has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .450. It's a different story for ALA - Ironwood, though, as they've only averaged .323. Will they be able to contain Florence's hitters?
Everything went Florence's way against ALA - Ironwood in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, as Florence made off with an 8-2 victory. Will Florence repeat their success, or does ALA - Ironwood have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
