By Jim Richards

SMCC baseball coach Todd Eastin is looking for a few good arms and he knows exactly where they are.

But he doesn’t know if he can use them in what is heading up on the most important week of the season.

Eastin is hoping to use aces Daniel Romero (5-2, 1.81 ERA) and Jordan Roualdes (5-0, 2.29) in this critical final week of play, but Romero has not been used because of a sore elbow and Roualdes is still recovering from the effects of strep throat.

The Cougars, losers of 3 of 4 after Saturday’s double-header loss at Central Arizona, will host Cochise College in a double-header on Tuesday and hope to to finish the week as one of four teams competing  in next week’s NJCAA Region I Division I Tournament.

Currently, the Cougars are tied with Chandler-Gilbert CC for third place in the ACCAC, one game behind Cochise. Central and Pima CC are two games back with four to play.

SMCC will wrap up the season with a home-and-home series with CGCC this Friday (home) and Saturday (away).

“This (week) is our season, no doubt about it,” Eastin said. “This week is the whole season for everybody.”

Eastin is waiting until Monday to see if Romero can be used. If so, he plans to pitch him in Game 1 of Tuesday’s double-header. If not, Eastin plans to use Shane Dyer (6-4, 2.79) in the opener with Adam Prange (1-1, 4.13) in the nightcap.

Roualdes’ status is less certain and he is not being counted on Tuesday, but could be used this weekend against CGCC.

The Cougars could have used better defense against Central Arizona, which posted wins of 7-0 and 5-4 over the Cougars.

“It may be more of a mental approach,” Eastin said. “Guys are playing too tight. They’re trying to play perfect in the field and when you do that, you’re doing to make mistakes.”

On the bright side, outfielder Adam Bailey continued his hot hitting and moved over the .400 mark.

“If we can get two more guys to pitch, we’ll be fine,” Eastin said.

Tuesday’s start time is noon.