River Valley has gone 9-1 against Parker recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Dust Devils will take on the Broncs at 3:45 p.m. River Valley is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.9 runs per game this season.
River Valley will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Monday, then bounced right back against Odyssey Institute on Wednesday. The Dust Devils came out on top against the Minotaur by a score of 10-5.
Mikey Gonzalez
| 04/01/26 @ Odyssey Institute | 9 |
| 03/24/26 vs Chino Valley | 11 |
| 03/18/26 vs Kingman | 10 |
| 02/27/26 vs Central | 5 |
Mikey Gonzalez was a major factor no matter where he played. He struck out nine batters over 6.1 innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off six hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-5 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Hunter Koehler was a standout: he went 3-for-5 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one double. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April of 2025. Anson Smith also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.
River Valley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Odyssey Institute only managed eight.
Meanwhile, Parker made easy work of Mohave Accelerated on Friday and carried off an 11-1 victory. The win continues a trend for the Broncs in their matchups with the Patriots: they've now won six in a row.
Like River Valley, Parker also got a great game from a two-way player: Fernando Baldenegro. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out ten over five innings pitched. Baldenegro has become a key player for Parker: the team is 2-1 when he posts at least ten strikeouts, but 6-7 otherwise. Baldenegro was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with three RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Rowan Holt, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run. Parker is undefeated when Holt posts three or more RBI, but 5-8 otherwise. Samuel Rodriguez was another key player, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
River Valley's record is now 13-4. As for Parker, the victory got them back to even at 8-8.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. River Valley has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .456. However, it's not like Parker struggles in that department as they've averaged .460. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
River Valley got the 'W' in their previous matchup back in April of 2025 against Parker by a conclusive 10-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Dust Devils since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
