Elbert is 1-9 against Evangel Christian Academy since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Saturday. The Bulldogs will face off against the Eagles at 12:30 p.m. Elbert has given up an average of 10.8 runs per game this season, but Saturday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
While Elbert's win against Cripple Creek-Victor wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Bulldogs had just enough and edged out the Pioneers 16-15 on Tuesday. The Bulldogs haven't had any issues with the Pioneers recently, as the game was their ninth consecutive victory against them.
Grant Smith
| 04/29/25 vs Cripple Creek-Victor | 1 |
| 04/24/25 vs Custer County | 1 |
| 04/21/25 vs Cotopaxi | 3 |
| 04/17/25 @ Cripple Creek-Victor | 3 |
| 04/15/25 vs Kiowa | 4 |
| + 2 more games |
Elbert let Grant Smith and Sam Cornell run wild. Smith went 3-for-5 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple, while Cornell got on base in three of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. Smith is also on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last seven games he's played. Nathan Lammers also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.
Elbert kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5.2 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 contests they've averaged 10.8.
Meanwhile, it can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Evangel Christian Academy had no problem doing just that on Tuesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Pirates a 12-0 shutout. Considering the Eagles have won six games by more than ten runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Nate Lucia was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. He is becoming a predictor of Evangel Christian Academy's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 4-1 (and 4-6 when he doesn't). Josiah Ochoa was another key player, getting on base in all three of his plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Evangel Christian Academy has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a massive bump to their 8-7 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for Elbert, their victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 6-7.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Elbert has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 7.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Evangel Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.5 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Elbert suffered a grim 15-3 defeat to Evangel Christian Academy in their previous matchup back in March. Can the Bulldogs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
