The JUCO World Series crowned a new champion on Saturday. The Yavapai Roughriders were the last team standing. Let’s take a look back.
Yavapai came into the tournament with a record of 42-19, ranked #14 in the JUCO poll. They earned their way in by winning the Western District. This was their second trip in a row. Last year they lasted only two games and were hoping for a better result.
In their first game a week ago Saturday, they faced Delgado out of Louisiana. Delgado had never won a game in the tournament in their schools’ history. The Roughriders wanted to keep that streak alive. Yavapai scored 4 runs in the 2nd inning. Delgado would keep it close with 2 runs in the 3rd. Both teams would add 2 runs in the 4th inning. Yavapai added a run in the 5th inning. Delgado wouldn’t go away, scoring a run in the 6th inning. Yavapai would end the game with 2 runs in the 8th and 9th innings winning 9-5, meaning they would be in the winners’ bracket.
On Monday, Cisco Texas was waiting for them. Yavapai found themselves in a hole, 5-0 after the 3rd inning. When that happened, all they had to do was keep battling. Down 5-0 early in the game isn’t the worst deficit because there were still 6 innings to go and all they had to do was chip away at the lead. Yavapai scored 2 runs in the 4th to cut the lead. In the 8th the Roughriders crossed home plate 5 times to go in front 7-5. It looked like that could be it but Cisco scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 8th. Yavapai tried to comeback in the 9th but only scored one run and lost 10-8. That meant they would be in the losers’ bracket the rest of the way. One more loss and their season was over.
On Tuesday they kept their season alive with a 6-2 victory over the Cowley County Tigers out of Kansas. Wednesday was a rematch with Cisco. This was the best game of the tournament. Neither team wanted to go home. This was back and forth as it should be for an elimination game. It was tied at 14 going into the bottom of the 9th. Center fielder for the Roughriders, Nate Easley, came to the plate with Rashaan Kuhaulua at second. He doubled down the line as the Roughriders advanced 15-14.
Thursday was another big game against Iowa Western. The winner would move on to the championship game. Iowa Western was no match for Yavapai as the Roughriders came away with a 7-3 triumph.
In the championship game was another tough opponent against the #2 ranked team San Jacinto out of Texas. Both teams have been waiting a long time to celebrate. San Jacinto’s last National Title was in 1990. Yavapai’s was in 1993.
San Jacinto went up 2-0 early. There wasn’t any panic for Yavapai. They had been behind in games and knew they could come back from a 2-0 deficit. . They scored a run in both the 5th and 6th innings to tie the game at 2. Yavapai wouldn’t allow San Jacinto to score the rest of the way. Yavapai would take the lead with 2 runs in the 8th and extended the lead in the 9th, winning the championship 5-2.
This was an historic win for Yavapai. They can finally call themselves champions after 23 years. Yavapai deserved to win this. They had decent pitching and scored runs with runners in scoring position. Yavapai played solid defense with not many errors. They ended the season on a four game winning streak. Yavapai should enjoy this win until next JUCO season. Hopefully we will see them here in Grand Junction to defend their title next year.
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