Baseball Game Preview: Liberty Baptist Academy Knights vs. Smith Valley Bulldogs

The Liberty Baptist Academy Knights will challenge the Smith Valley Bulldogs at 12:30 p.m. on Friday. Liberty Baptist Academy will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each contest than the last.

Liberty Baptist Academy heads in on the heels of a playoff matchup on Thursday. They fell just short of Wells by a score of 8-7.

Noah McConnell

Runs

04/18/25 @ Spring Mountain	5
05/01/25 @ Mountain View Christian	3
04/29/25 vs Beaver Dam	3
04/22/25 @ Sandy Valley	3
04/10/25 vs Pahranagat Valley	3
+ 17 more games

Noah McConnell put in work while hitting and pitching. He struck out 14 batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. He has become a key player for Liberty Baptist Academy: the team is 15-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 4-6 otherwise.

In other batting news, Bruce Delgado made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Bryce Miano, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Meanwhile, Smith Valley came up short against Indian Springs on Thursday, falling 7-1. The Bulldogs have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Smith Valley saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Wyatt Wulfing, who went 1-for-2 with one triple and one stolen base. Brysen Walston was another, going 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.

Smith Valley's record is now 16-5. As for Liberty Baptist Academy, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 19-7 record this season.

Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Liberty Baptist Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .555. However, it's not like Smith Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .593. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.