Round Valley and Pima are an even 4-4 against one another since April of 2015, but likely not for long. Round Valley will host Pima at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. The last three games Round Valley has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
While Round Valley's victory against St. Johns wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. Round Valley sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-1 win over St. Johns on Wednesday.
Cason Finch was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Finch was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing two bases while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
Jeffery Cochran
| 03/26/25 @ St. Johns | 2 |
| 03/21/25 vs Willcox | 1 |
| 03/19/25 @ Morenci | 5 |
Finch wasn't the only one making solid contact as two players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Jeffery Cochran, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-4. Cochran has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played.
Meanwhile, Pima entered their contest against Chandler Prep on Friday without any home losses, but there's a first time for everything. Pima fell just short of Chandler Prep by a score of 3-1. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Roughriders have suffered since May 3, 2024.
Rhett Hughes spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on three hits and racked up seven Ks. Those seven strikeouts gave him a new career-high.
Round Valley has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 7-3 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.8 runs over those games. This is the second loss in a row for Pima and nudges their season record down to 3-5-1.
Pima's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Round Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .351. It's a different story for Pima, though, as they've only averaged .202. Will they be able to contain Round Valley's hitters?
Round Valley took their win against Pima in their previous matchup back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 10-0. Does Round Valley have another victory up their sleeve, or will Pima turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
