The Valley Christian Trojans will head out to square off against the Yuma Catholic Shamrocks at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Yuma Catholic will face off against a team with plenty of momentum: Valley Christian extended their winning streak to nine on Thursday. The Trojans blew past Coolidge 29-2. The Trojans' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Ryan Sanchez
| 04/17/25 @ Coolidge | 6 |
| 04/03/24 vs ALA - Ironwood | 3 |
| 02/22/24 vs Globe | 3 |
| 04/10/25 @ Apache Junction | 2 |
| 04/18/24 @ Gilbert Christian | 2 |
Ryan Sanchez was incredible, going a perfect 5-for-5 with six RBI, four runs, and three doubles. Those six RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Brock Jackson, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI.
Valley Christian was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .543. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in three consecutive matches.
Yuma Catholic came out on top against Odyssey Institute on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive eight-run first inning. The Shamrocks never let the Minotaur get on the board and left with a 14-0 win. Winning may never get old, but the Shamrocks sure are getting used to it with their ninth in a row.
Jose Alcalde and Ivan Guzman made a splash no matter where they played. Throwing, Alcalde pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. Meanwhile, Guzman tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one hit in five consecutive appearances. At the plate, Alcalde went a perfect 3-for-3 with seven RBI, one triple, and one run, while Guzman went 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Joey Carey, who went 1-for-2 with one home run and two runs. Leonel Avelar was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
Yuma Catholic's victory was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 20-1. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.2 runs over those games. As for Valley Christian, their record now sits at 21-2.
Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Valley Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .504. However, it's not like Yuma Catholic struggles in that department as they've averaged .521. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Valley Christian skirted past Yuma Catholic 2-1 in their previous matchup back in March. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Trojans since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
