Playing in the final day of the first round of the NJCAA Region I Playoffs, the Roughrider baseball team needed to win one game on Saturday to advance to the Region Championship Series. Today's opponent, Arizona Western College, had to come through the loser's bracket after losing to Yavapai on Thursday and beating the host team and #2 seed Pima Community College.
 
In the first elimination game, Roughriders fell to the Matadors, 6-5 and then bounced back in the second elimination game winning, 17-16.  Both games came down to the last at bats.
 
In the opening game, Arizona Western opened the scoring with a single run in the second inning. YC responded with four runs in the third inning. AWC scored a solo run in the bottom of the seventh inning and YC scored a single run in the eighth inning. The Matadors tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning and hit the walk off single in the bottom of the ninth to force a second elimination game.
 
The Roughriders had to come from behind in the second game in the back and forth affair.
 
AWC scored 4 runs in the opening frame and Yavapai scored three runs in the second inning. Arizona Western scored four more runs in the third inning and YC took the lead in the fourth inning posting 6 runs.
 
The Matadors scored 7 runs in the fifth inning and YC cut into the lead in the sixth scoring three runs and AWC scored one run in the sixth inning making the score 16-12. Yavapai tied the score in the eighth inning and took the lead in the ninth on a CJ Valdez home run. Arizona Western had their chance in the bottom of the ninth but Damone Hale robbed the Matadors of a tying home run making the catch above the fence.
 
Yavapai had 30 hits on the day led by CJ Valdez going 5 for 9 with a home run. TJ Wheeler was 5 for 9 with a home run and 5 runs batted in. Damone Hale was 4 for 11 with a homer. Matt Bachelier was the second game victor throwing 3.1 innings allowing 1 hit while striking out 2.
 
The Roughrider will now face #1 seed Central Arizona College in the NJCAA Region I Championship best of 3 series on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 13, 14 and 15 at Central Arizona College. Both teams will advance to the NJCAA West District Tournament.