In the first game of the NJCAA Region I Division I Championship Series in Casa Grande Thursday afternoon, the Roughrider baseball team upset the #1 seeded and #3 ranked Central Arizona College, 5-4, in 11 innings.  Noah Turley hit the game winning home run in the top of the 11^th and Nathan Ward threw the final two innings to get the victory.
 
The Roughriders got on the board first scoring two runs in the second inning on a two-run homerun from TJ Wheeler. The Riders posted another run in the top of the fourth from a CJ Valdez solo home run.
 
Central Arizona closed the gap with two runs in their half of the fourth inning and tied the game in the fifth inning. Both teams scored a run in the sixth inning. The game was scoreless for the next four innings when Turley dealt the big blow in the 11^th inning.
 
The Roughrider pitching held the potent Vaquero offense to 6 hits. Declan Dutton started the game throwing 4.2 innings and striking out 8.
 
Matt Bachelier took the hill for .2 innings and Tyler Davis followed with 3. 2 innings recording 6 strikeouts.
 
Nathan Ward threw the final two innings allowing no hits, not runs and two strikeouts.
 
Offensively, CJ Valdez continued his torrid May going 3 for 4 with a home run and 2 runs scored. Since May 1, Valdez is 19 for 30 with 15 runs batted in and 5 home runs.
 
Noah Turley, the ACCAC Player of the Year, was 2 for 5 and Amari Bartee was 2 for 5. TJ Wheeler was 1 for 3 with 3 RBI's.
 
The Roughriders can clinch the Region Title on Friday. If the Vaqueros win, both teams will play in a winner takes all game on Saturday.  Tomorrow's game begins at 2:00 PM.