In the first round of the NJCAA Region I Division Playoffs, the #5 seeded Roughrider baseball team upset the #3 seed Arizona Western College Thursday afternoon in Tucson, 5-3. The victory allows the Riders to face the #2 seed Pima Community College in the 3-team double elimination tournament.
 
The game was scoreless through four complete innings. In the top of the fifth, YC put three runs on the board thanks to a 3-run home run from CJ Valdez. The Green and Gold added another run in the seventh inning on an RBI single from Valdez.
 
Arizona Western scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. YC countered with a solo home run in the top of the ninth from TJ Wheeler. The Matadors attempted a comeback in the ninth inning scoring 2 runs before YC pitching shut the window of opportunity.
 
Declan Dutton got the nod on the mound and delivered a gem. The sophomore righthander threw six shutout innings striking out 3. Tyler Davis threw two innings and Nathan Ward got the save throwing the final inning.CJ Valdez accounted for 4 of the Roughrider runs with a three-run home run and an RBI single. Amari Bartee and Damone Hale were each 3 for 4. Bartee had two doubles. TJ Wheeler was 2 for 5 with a solo homer.
 
The Roughriders now play the host team and #2 seed Pima Community College on Friday at 11:00 AM. Yavapai was 1 for 4 against the Aztecs this season. The winner of Friday mornings game advances to the championship game on Saturday. The loser will face Arizona Western College in an elimination game 30 minutes following the conclusion of the previous game.