The Holbrook Roadrunners will face off against the Round Valley Elks at 2:00 p.m. on Monday. Holbrook has given up an average of 7.2 runs per game this season, so hopefully the team got some pitching drills in this week.
Holbrook's tournament run continued when they took on Mogollon on Saturday. Holbrook came up short against Mogollon, falling 17-6.
Matthias Montijo was cooking despite his team's loss, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-2. Another player making a difference was Ben Eisele, who went 2-for-3 with one triple and one run.
Even though they lost, Holbrook hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now struck out at most five strikeouts in seven consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Round Valley was not the first on the board last Wednesday, but they got there more often. They were the clear victor by a 13-4 margin over Santa Cruz Valley. The Elks might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three games by nine runs or more this season.
Brenton Walker made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over 4.1 innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off four hits. The dominant performance gave him a new career-high in strikeouts. He was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while going 2-for-3. Those stolen bases marked the first that he snagged this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jeffery Cochran, who scored three runs and stole Two bases. while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. He has become a key player for Round Valley: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 1-2 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Eli Pena, who scored two runs and stole Three bases. while getting on base in both of his plate appearances.
The win made it two in a row for Round Valley and bumps their season record up to 4-2. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Holbrook, they now have a losing record of 5-6.
Monday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Holbrook has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .442. However, it's not like Round Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .533. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Holbrook might still be hurting after the 26-1 loss they got from Round Valley in their previous meeting back in February of 2024. Will Holbrook have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
