The Valencia freshmen opened their Saturday doubleheader with Hart the way close games are won: a timely inning at the plate and four baserunners erased in the field, good for a 2-1 morning victory.

Three straight singles by Jace Lindstrom, Nate Marroquin, and Marcus Paikos loaded the bases in the second; Lindstrom scored on a wild pitch and Caden Shin's two-out single brought Paikos home. Hart answered once, a bases-loaded walk in the third after two hit batters, but Gavin Dunbar stranded three with the lead intact.

From there the defense carried it. A 6-4-3 double play ended the second, Matthew Webb and Lindstrom cut down Luke stealing home to end the fourth, Kasen Caranto and Cooper Rzewuski turned a pop-out double play in the sixth, and Caranto threw out Hayden stealing in the seventh.

Dunbar earned the win and Webb finished with 3.1 walk-free innings; Hart's #40 went the distance on 79 pitches, but Valencia's eight singles were plenty. Game 2 followed the same day.