Baseball Game Preview: Bellaire Big Reds vs. Bridgeport Bulldogs

The Bellaire Big Reds will challenge the Bridgeport Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.

Having struggled with four defeats in a row, Bellaire turned things around against Beaver Local on Wednesday. They blew past the Beavers 10-1. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Big Reds' hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.

Luke Heatherington

Runs

05/07/25 vs Beaver Local	3
04/25/25 vs Buckeye Local	2
04/18/25 vs Union Local	2
04/17/25 vs Martins Ferry	2
05/02/25 @ Shadyside	1
+ 4 more games

Luke Heatherington made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (and not a single walk). He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base. He has become a key player for Bellaire: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 2-12 otherwise.

In other batting news, Brae Schmidli was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, four RBI, and two runs. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April. Riley Zonker was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one double.

Meanwhile, Bridgeport waltzed into their contest on Wednesday with seven straight wins... but they left with eight. They were the clear victors by an 8-1 margin over the Blue Devils. The Bulldogs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five games by seven runs or more this season.

Bridgeport's victory was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-3. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.7 runs over those games. As for Bellaire, their victory bumped their record up to 6-12.

Bellaire couldn't quite get it done against Bridgeport in their previous meeting on Thursday as they fell 3-0. Will the Big Reds have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.