There’s a playoff vibe whenever the Valley Christian Trojans and Yuma Catholic Shamrocks are on the same field.

It’s present even during their club circuit encounters and early regular season showdowns. On Wednesday night, in front of Valley Christian’s strong fan base, they battled once again in the biggest game of the season so far in 3A.

Like last year’s championship game conclusion, Valley Christian won. But unlike last year’s run rule title game result, the Trojans edged Yuma Catholic 2-1 this time around.

“It was a gutsy win,” Valley Christian coach Vince LaGatta said. “We had to really dig down. We told the guys, ‘This is the kind of baseball we want to be playing, an early game test with a really well-coached team.’ We have a lot of respect for what (Yuma Catholic) coach (Judd) Thrower does over there.’”

The biggest moments at the plate came near the end for LaGatta’s team.

The “heart and soul” of his squad, Caleb Danzeisen, considered the state’s top outfielder in this year’s senior class, led the bottom half of the sixth with a triple. The left-handed batter poked an outside fastball down the far corner of the third base line before turning a double into a triple.

In another lefty vs. lefty matchup, Danzeisen scored two batters later after a first pitch double down the first base side by Cameron Bergloff off Yuma Catholic’s ace, Mickey Fox. That tied the game at 1-1.

“No matter the moment, we always come through, lately,” Danzeisen said. “We just put the work in every single day. We work hard during every plate appearance every single day.”

After courtesy runner Niko Clavell was called safe at third when Berkeley Kaiser reached first on a fielder’s choice, Andrew Van Egdom then also delivered in the clutch.

A bunt attempt with one out was unsuccessful but Egdom managed to plate the winning run with a sacrifice fly.

“Andrew is a new kid for us, and to get to see him contribute is super special,” LaGatta said.

Fox, due to pitch count, called it a night at that point after an outstanding outing.

Valley Christian’s appreciative fans saluted the senior’s performance (10 K’s, 4 hits allowed) with applause as he walked back to his dugout. Valley Christian’s starting pitcher, Jaxen Maxey, and reliever, Carson Grier, also received an ovation or two.

After leaving a changeup up, Maxey was greeted by a Erik Topete solo blast on a 2-1 count to start the game. But the junior right-handed pitcher retired 14 of the next 17 batters during his five innings of work.

Topete (2-3) greeted Grier with a leadoff double in the sixth, but that was the only hit Grier, one of the basketball stars on the baseball team, allowed. Grier also broke up Fox’s no-hit bid with a single to right in the fourth inning.

Yuma Catholic (11-1) stranded three runners in scoring position.

“When it comes to tight games like that, it comes down to execution,” Thrower said. “We had guys on third base with less than two outs and we couldn’t scrape runs across. (Valley Christian) came through, and they executed. That’s usually what it comes down to when you get two good teams like this together.”

The programs have already circled on their calendars their next highly anticipated reunion. 

They will meet for the ninth time in the past four seasons at Yuma Catholic on April 21st.

“We know we have to go on the road and play them over there and know we will more than likely face them in the championship,” LaGatta said.

Pencil them in for the 3A title game for the second straight year?

Thrower and his boys probably wouldn’t mind.

“It’s playoffs, man. It’s playoff atmosphere,” said Thrower about what it’s like when his program sees 7-1 Valley Christian. “We hate them in the game. But we have respect for them off the field. They have a great ball club. We’re going to battle them, and we’ll probably see them a couple of more times.”

Note: Valley Christian’s Caleb Danzeisen will be interviewed Saturday between 8-10 a.m. during the azpreps365 Morning Radio Show on 1580 AM The Fanatic and 99.3 FM.