Rincon/University hasn't had much luck against Sunnyside recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Rangers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Blue Devils at 3:45 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with 11 defeats in a row, Rincon/University turned things around against South Mountain on Monday. They blew past the Jaguars 19-2. The Rangers' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Jackson Stern was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI. Those two hits gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Keith Cook, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four stolen bases, three runs, and two doubles. Those two doubles gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Mark Gaxiola, who went 2-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and two doubles.
Rincon/University always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .528. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as South Mountain only posted an OBP of .381.
Meanwhile, Sunnyside posted their closest win since March 11th on Thursday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past Marana 8-7. The Blue Devils haven't had any issues with the Tigers recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
EMRICK THOMPSON made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out ten over 5.1 innings pitched. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Sunnyside is 6-2 when he allows at most two earned runs, but 4-7 otherwise. THOMPSON was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
In other batting news, MIGUEL CELAYA was excellent, going a perfect 1-for-1 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Sunnyside now has a winning record of 10-9. As for Rincon/University, their victory bumped their record up to 3-13.
Rincon/University's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's matchup. The Rangers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Sunnyside, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Rincon/University continue to outrun the ball?
Rincon/University might still be hurting after the 16-0 loss they got from Sunnyside in their previous meeting back in April of 2025. Can the Rangers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
