Cornerstone Christian is a perfect 10-0 against Bethel Christian since May of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Crusaders will be playing in front of their home fans against the Kings at 2:45 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Thursday, Cornerstone Christian made easy work of Temecula Prep and carried off a 15-3 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Crusaders.
Alec O'Sullivan made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in seven consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Steel Hoham
| 04/03/25 vs Temecula Prep | 4 |
| 03/24/25 @ Lakeside | 3 |
| 03/20/25 @ Santa Rosa Academy | 2 |
| 03/21/25 @ Packinghouse Christian Academy | 1 |
| 02/27/25 @ San Jacinto Valley Academy | 1 |
In other batting news, Steel Hoham was incredible, going 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Lucas Gomez-Creguer, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, four RBI, and one double.
Cornerstone Christian always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .556. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Temecula Prep only posted an OBP of .364.
Meanwhile, Bethel Christian got the win against Packinghouse Christian Academy on Tuesday by a conclusive 13-3. The Kings haven't had any issues with the Bears recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive win against them.
Like Cornerstone Christian, Bethel Christian also got a great game from a two-way player: Tyler Backstrom. On the mound, he pitched four innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits. Backstrom was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-2. He is becoming a predictor of Bethel Christian's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 1-5 when he doesn't).
In other batting news, Jonah Thompson was a standout: he scored two runs while going 2-for-3. He has become a key player for Bethel Christian: the team is 4-2 when he posts at least two runs, but 0-3 otherwise. Matthew Miller was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Bethel Christian's victory bumped their record up to 4-5. As for Cornerstone Christian, their win bumped their record up to 11-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Cornerstone Christian has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.1 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Bethel Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Cornerstone Christian took their victory against Bethel Christian in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 18-2 score. Do the Crusaders have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Kings turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
