Baseball Game Preview: Bethlehem Central Eagles vs. Columbia Blue Devils

For the second straight game, Bethlehem Central will face off against Columbia. The Eagles will face off against the Blue Devils at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday.

Bethlehem Central proved they can win big on Friday (they won by ten) and on Monday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-2 victory over Columbia.

Jacob Bradt tossed a big game, striking out six batters over 5.1 innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits (and only one walk). He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.

Eli Proper

Stolen Base (Career)

04/20/26 vs Columbia	2
04/06/26 vs Albany	1
04/01/26 @ Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk	1
03/25/26 vs Maple Hill	1
05/13/25 vs Maple Hill	1

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Eli Proper, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI. Those two stolen bases gave him a new career-high. Eamon McClain was another key player, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base and one run.

Bethlehem Central's win ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 4-4-1. As for Columbia, with the defeat, they broke their three-game winning streak and moved their record to 5-3.

Bethlehem Central's speedy runners might be the difference in Wednesday's game. The Eagles have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Columbia, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Bethlehem Central continue to outrun the ball? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.