Baseball Game Preview: Harding Knights vs. St. Paul Central Minutemen

Harding is 0-10 against St. Paul Central since April of 2021 but things could change on Wednesday. The Knights will head out on the road to challenge the Minutemen at 4:30 p.m. Harding is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.2 runs per game this season.

Harding is headed into Wednesday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their sixth straight game on Monday. They lost 20-2 to St. Paul Central. That's two games in a row now that the Knights have lost by exactly 18 runs.

For St. Paul Central's part, Cooper Entenman made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over 3.1 innings while giving up just two earned runs but no hits. That's the most strikeouts Entenman has posted since back in May of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.

Entenman wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Ademola Adedigba, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Adedigba is becoming a predictor of St. Paul Central's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is 2-1 (and 1-7 when he doesn't). Billy Vander Aarde was another, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run.

St. Paul Central always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .630. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.

Harding's loss dropped their record down to 2-7. As for St. Paul Central, their defeat was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which dropped their record down to 3-9.

The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Harding has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like St. Paul Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9.1 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.