PRESCOTT VALLEY — Jeremy Reynolds threw five innings of shutout, three-hit baseball, Garison Jones mashed a go-ahead two-run homer in the fourth inning and Bradshaw Mountain stayed perfect in Grand Canyon region play with a 3-1 win over rival Flagstaff on Tuesday afternoon.

It is the seventh consecutive win for the No. 4-ranked Bears (15-3, 6-0 4A Grand Canyon), which have seven games left on the regular season schedule in their quest to earn a top four seed in the state playoffs.

A top seed could pay dividends later with the potential to host one to five playoff home games depending on how the brackets play out at state, which is less than a month away.

Jones was 1 for 3 on the day, but his big hit in the bottom of the fourth inning gave Bradshaw Mountain a 2-0 lead and a ton of confidence for a club that struggled the first time through the order against Flagstaff hurler Will Carpenter, who tossed six strong innings and allowed three runs while striking out four.

Carpenter’s seven hits allowed came mostly in the fourth inning or later against a Bears team that starts two freshman and two sophomores.

Jones, a senior, said it felt “pretty good” when he connected with a Carpenter fastball, sending it over the right field fence to give his club a 2-0 lead.

“I saw the pitch I was looking for, and I killed it,” Jones said. “In the first at bat, I expected to see an off-speed [pitch], because that’s what [he was] throwing to everyone else. But, he threw me a fastball and I didn’t think of it [at the time]. Next at bat, he threw a fastball, and I hit it.”

Flagstaff pitcher Will Carpenter (14) makes his way into the dugout as he talks with catcher Cullen Callander (10) after an inning against Bradshaw Mountain on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Prescott Valley. The Eagles lost 3-1. (Brian M. Bergner Jr./AzPreps365)

Caden Randall was 2 for 3, while freshman Drew Strader was 2 for 3 with two doubles, one of which went for an RBI in the fifth inning to stretch Bradshaw Mountain’s lead to 3-0.

In the top of the seventh, No. 20-ranked Flagstaff (13-7, 5-2 4A Grand Canyon) made it interesting, drawing a few walks and watching Tobyn Phillips get a pinch-hit RBI single to make it 3-1, but senior Isaiah Avila came in to get the final out and secure a Bradshaw Mountain victory.

Reynolds, who threw 69 pitches while walking only one batter all day, said he was “pounding the zone” as much as possible against the Eagles.

“I didn’t have the best stuff compared to my bullpen, but I went out there and threw to contact. I have a great defense behind me, and [we] got the job done,” Reynolds said, adding that he was thrilled to see Jones’ home run go over the fence in the fourth, giving him some relief and a little wiggle room on the mound.

“It feels like that’s how many of our games of gone. It’s been a battle,” Reynolds said. “We’ve had to go out and pound the zone and give our offense a chance to do some work.”

UP NEXT

These two clubs hook up again Thursday, April 10, in Flagstaff. First pitch is scheduled for 3:45 p.m.

After playing the Eagles again this week, Bradshaw Mountain has two against Coconino next week, Paradise Honors after that, then a rescheduled contest with cross-town rival Prescott (ranked No. 7) on April 22 after snow forced a cancelation.

The Bears end the regular season with a doubleheader in Kingman against Lee Williams on April 26 set for noon and 3 p.m.

After the Bradshaw Mountain game, Flagstaff still has two with Prescott (April 15, 17), and two with Coconino (April 21, 23) before closing out with Goldwater on April 28.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on X at @AzPreps365Brian or on Facebook at @Five2MediaWorks. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.