Ten days after Valencia run-ruled West Ranch 11-1, the Wildcats returned the favor in the morning game of the April 18 doubleheader, riding Will Hernandez's two-hitter into the seventh to a 6-2 win that ended the freshmen's seven-game winning streak.

West Ranch scored early and in bunches. Michael Sadaqatmal came around on Eli Saguibo's first-inning double, a two-out rally in the fourth strung together two hit batters, three singles, and a bases-loaded walk for three runs, and RBI singles by Roman Macias and Toby Lauricella added two more in the fifth. Lauricella finished 3-for-3.

Valencia's defense never blinked, an errorless game in which shortstop Elijah Patlian handled six chances including every out of the sixth, but the bats could not solve Hernandez until the seventh. Marcus Paikos and Nate Marroquin opened the final frame with back-to-back doubles, Jace Lindstrom singled home a run off reliever Lucas Broyles, and walks loaded the bases with the tying run at the plate before Broyles struck out the last two.

Paikos's double extended his hitting run to four straight games. Elijah Garcia took the loss in the start, and Elijah Avlas threw the final two innings in his second appearance on the mound.