Eleva-Strum is 9-1 against Augusta since May of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Cardinals are taking a road trip to face off against the Beavers at 5:00 p.m. Eleva-Strum is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.1 runs per game this season.
Eleva-Strum barely beat Alma Center Lincoln the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Cardinals were the clear victors by a 13-3 margin over the Red Raiders on Tuesday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Cardinals.
Calvin Barneson
| 04/28/26 @ Alma Center Lincoln | 5 |
| 04/10/25 @ Fall Creek | 2 |
| 04/14/26 vs Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran | 1 |
| 04/10/26 vs Arcadia | 1 |
| 05/19/25 @ Osseo-Fairchild | 1 |
Calvin Barneson made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 11 batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off six hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one home run, five stolen bases, and three RBI. Those five stolen bases gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Michael Lahn, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. He is becoming a predictor of Eleva-Strum's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 2-4 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Owen Emerson, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Augusta was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their fourth straight loss. They lost 7-0 to Melrose-Mindoro. Having soared to a lofty 11 runs in the game before, the Beavers' shutout was a dramatic turnaround.
Augusta's defeat dropped their record down to 1-6. As for Eleva-Strum, they now have a winning record of 5-4.
Augusta's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Friday. Eleva-Strum has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.7 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Augusta, though, as they've been averaging only 3.1 strikeouts. Will Eleva-Strum keep running through batters, or will the Beavers buck the trend?
Eleva-Strum got the 'W' when the teams last played back in April against Augusta by a conclusive 10-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Cardinals since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
