Yuma holds off Arcadia, advances in 4A Play-In Round
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) — The season stays alive for Yuma High baseball.
The Criminals defended their home field Wednesday, knocking off Arcadia 4-2 in the 4A Conference Play-In round to punch their ticket to the state tournament’s first round.
It was a pitcher’s duel early at Doan Field, with sophomore right-hander Joseph Pastrana getting the start for Yuma. Pastrana delivered one of his strongest outings of the season, working deep into the game while keeping the Titans off balance at the plate.
The game remained tight into the later innings before Yuma found its breakthrough in the bottom of the sixth. Roman Jacobo sparked the rally by reaching base on a misplayed ball, giving the Criminals life with a runner on.
That set the stage for Jack Bouts, who delivered the biggest swing of the night—driving a shot into the left-center gap for a ground-rule double. The hit brought home two key insurance runs, giving Yuma a 4-1 advantage heading into the final inning.
Arcadia didn’t go quietly in the seventh. Caleb Young led off with a double off the left field wall and later came around to score, trimming the deficit and putting pressure back on Yuma.
But the Criminals answered defensively. With the tying run looming, third baseman Jaxson Gastelum turned a clutch double play—stepping on third and firing to first—to slam the door and secure the win.
Pastrana finished with a gritty performance on the mound, allowing just one earned run while trusting his defense to make plays behind him.
After the game, head coach Nick Johnson credited the team’s resilience and belief.
“We’re back in the tournament,” Johnson said. “There was a lot of doubt after graduating a big group last year, but this team plays with heart and pride. They earned this.”
Pastrana echoed that mindset, saying his focus was on trusting his teammates throughout the game.
“I felt good,” he said. “Just trusting the guys behind me and letting them make plays.”
With the win, Yuma advances to the first round of the 4A state playoffs and will hit the road for its next matchup on Saturday.
