It's just tough to score and win baseball games against a pitching staff that has ten of it's thirteen pitchers under 3.00 in ERA.

And not one pitcher over 4.00.

And that leads the NJCAA with a 2.31.

In a moved-up doubleheader because of Monday/Tuesday rain probabilities, this pitching staff gave up just four earned runs (which, frankly, seems high considering the success this season) while scoring eighteen in a Paradise Valley sweep Monday afternoon.

Game one starter Shane Spencer struck out six in five innings to move him to number six in the NJCAA with 71, and in game two, Patrick Steitz won his eighth game placing him second in NJCAA wins so far.

Game one final: 12-3 (seven innings)

Game two final: 6-1 (nine innings)

It's a quiet sixteen game winning streak for Central.

The Vaqueros put up a quick three in game one to start the day when shortstop Chase Valentine did it again.

What's the deal?

After Ryan Ball walked for the first time of three in the game leading off, Valentine powered a long fly ball into right center for a two-out bases-loaded triple.

Listen, he hit another triple and double in the game and drove in four on the day. He has nineteen extra-basers on the year with five coming in the last two games. He had a spurt in early March with six extra base hits in four games.

That being said, Ball hit his ninth and tenth homeruns in game one, to give him nineteen extra-base hits also, while Kiko Romero was held off the board in this doubleheader, but still has eighteen extra-base hits.

"I can't remember in my time here having anyone with ten homeruns at this point in the season" said head coach Anthony Gilich of Ball.

"We didn't really expect that, but it's not surprising either. Nonetheless from our leadoff" Gilich continued. Ball also is tied for the team lead with Vinnie Lagatta for walks with 35.

Blake Avila hit another homerun in game one, his fourth, and Jaylin Rae had five hits on the day.

"He's a special player, so many layers" Gilich said of Rae.

Zero errors in both games.

Back to pitching.

"This was his best game of the year, he was in control the whole way" said Gilich of game two starter Steitz, who is now 8-1. 

After his five innings of game two, it was a hefty dose of lefty, as Matt Wilkinson and Drew Sommers struck out eight more and all three pitchers had a grand total of fifteen sit-downs without a single walk.

The Vaqueros jumped in the vans just as it started to rain in first place in the ACCAC. Probably a pretty cool ride back after a day like this.