Pick of the preps: Top VB match pits Badgers vs. I-Ridge

This week in prep sports is all about big-time matchups.

There's a top-five showdown in boys volleyball between Ironwood Ridge and Tucson High, a top-10 game in softball with Sahuarita and Douglas hooking up, and a key 4A-II Gila Region baseball game between Cholla and Catalina.

Here's a look at the three can't-miss events:

Tuesday

• Boys volleyball: Tucson at Ironwood Ridge

It will be No. 2 vs. No. 4 in the 5A power rankings when the Badgers travel to face the Nighthawks in a 6 p.m. match.

Tucson, 7-2 in power-ranking games, sits at No. 2. Ironwood Ridge is 5-2 and is at No. 4.

The two teams squared off March 22 for a thrilling match. The visiting Nighthawks topped the Badgers in five sets (25-23, 25-18, 25-27, 21-25, 15-9).

But earlier in the season, Tucson High downed Ironwood Ridge 2-0 in the Mountain View Invitational.

Friday

• Softball: Sahuarita, ranked No. 5 in the 4A-II power rankings, will travel to Douglas to take on the Bulldogs, who are one spot behind the Mustangs at No. 6.

Sahuarita is 18-4 on the season and 8-1 in power- ranking games. The Mustangs are riding an eight-game winning streak and are coming off a 2-0 win over Mountain View.

Yvette Alvarez has paced the Mustangs with a .527 batting average and eye-popping power numbers: 13 home runs and 57 RBIs. She's also the team's main pitcher and is 16-4 with a 0.54 ERA.

Douglas is 13-4 overall and 7-1 in power-ranking games. The Bulldogs are coming off a pair of wins last week, beating Catalina 9-8 and Nogales 10-0 in five innings.

Game time is set for 4 p.m.

• Baseball: Cholla will visit Catalina in a critical 4A-II Gila game.

The Trojans still have 10 regular-season games remaining, and are hoping to host a first-round playoff game come May. Catalina is ranked No. 8 in the power rankings, and the top eight teams earn a first-round home game.

Cholla comes in trying to break into the top 16 of the power rankings. The Chargers are 4-5 in power- ranking games and ranked No. 21, but they still have 10 games left to make it into the playoffs.

First pitch is scheduled at 4 p.m.