Baseball Game Preview: Van Vandals vs. Carthage Bulldogs

The Van Vandals will challenge the Carthage Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Van will be looking to extend their current 15-game winning streak.

On Friday, Van narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Lindale 5-4.

Grady Baetz

Batters Struck Out

04/25/25 vs Lindale	9
04/17/25 @ Canton	10
04/11/25 @ Kemp	9
04/04/25 @ Athens	10
03/28/25 vs Brownsboro	12
03/21/25 @ Mabank	10

Grady Baetz was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off six hits (and only one walk). He has been consistent: he hasn't tossed less than nine strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with one run and one RBI.

Baetz wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Easton Hinch, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base and one run. Landon Smith was another, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.

Meanwhile, after soaring to 14 runs the game before, Carthage was a bit more limited in their game on Friday. They fell 7-2 to Liberty-Eylau.

Van pushed their record up to 28-6-1 with the victory, which was their eighth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Carthage, their defeat ended a three-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 14-12-1.