The Pima Roughriders will face off against the Miami Vandals at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Pima is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.2 runs per game this season.
Pima barely beat Gilbert Classical Academy the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Roughriders put the hurt on the Spartans with a sharp 18-4 win on Wednesday. The Roughriders not only won on Wednesday, but they posted their biggest win since March 3rd (when they won 15-1).
Efrain Hernandez
| 04/08/26 @ Gilbert Classical Academy | 6 |
| 03/28/26 vs Round Valley | 1 |
| 03/11/26 vs Morenci | 5 |
| 03/03/26 @ St. Johns | 7 |
Efrain Hernandez made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over four innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in March. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, two RBI, and one double. He has become a key player for Pima: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 4-10 otherwise.
In other batting news, Pima got a massive performance out of Tanner Smith, who went 2-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple. The Roughriders are undefeated when Smith posts two or more runs, but 2-10 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Ramon Hernandez, who went 2-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Pima kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Miami fell victim to Ray and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They came up short against the Bearcats, falling 15-0. Having soared to a lofty 13 runs in the game before, the Vandals' shutout was a dramatic turnaround.
The victory made it two in a row for Pima and bumps their season record up to 7-10. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.5 runs over those games. As for Miami, their defeat dropped their record down to 6-10.
Everything went Pima's way against Miami in their previous matchup back in April of 2025, as Pima made off with a 13-0 victory. Do the Roughriders have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Vandals turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
