Southwest EC is a perfect 10-0 against Palo Verde Valley since May of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. After both having extra time off, the two teams will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:00 p.m. Southwest EC will be looking to extend their current six-game winning streak.
Southwest EC's usually-dominant pitching crew will be looking to make up for Thursday's struggle, when Imperial hitters got past them. The Eagles had just enough and edged out the Tigers 12-11.
Jose Salcido
| 04/17/25 vs Imperial | 2 |
| 04/10/25 @ Holtville | 1 |
| 04/08/25 vs Holtville | 1 |
| 03/21/25 @ Brawley | 1 |
| 03/08/25 vs Gila Ridge | 2 |
Jose Salcido made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off seven hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in four of his seven plate appearances with two runs and two RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Brock London was a standout: he went 3-for-6 with three doubles, two runs, and one RBI. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Matthew Sosa, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run.
Southwest EC kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 18 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in five consecutive contests.
Palo Verde Valley never got on the board in their matchup two weeks ago, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Calipatria two weeks ago. They were the clear victors by an 11-1 margin over the Hornets. That ten run margin sets a new team best for the Yellow Jackets this season.
Jaydon Castillo made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 12 over seven innings pitched. Castillo was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Drew Wright and Aiden Cano did most of the damage at the plate: Wright went 3-for-5 with two runs, one triple, and one double, while Cano went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Amelio Hernandez also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
Southwest EC's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 19-3. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.9 runs over those games. As for Palo Verde Valley, their record now sits at 12-8-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Southwest EC has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Palo Verde Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Southwest EC's way against Palo Verde Valley in their previous meeting back in February of 2023, as Southwest EC made off with a 14-8 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Eagles since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
