The Centennial Bulldogs will challenge the Basic Wolves at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The timing isn't great for Centennial: they have been struggling with four straight losses at home, while Basic has snatched up five consecutive wins on the road.
Centennial blew Birmingham out of the water the last time the pair played, but on Tuesday Birmingham got their revenge. The Bulldogs fell just short of the Patriots by a score of 6-4. That's two games in a row now that the Bulldogs have lost by exactly two runs.
Centennial got a good showing from Lando Baxter, who tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Baxter has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in nine consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Tyler Jackson made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Basic faced Spring Valley in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Thursday. The Wolves walked away with a 6-1 win over the Grizzlies. The Wolves haven't had any issues with the Grizzlies recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive victory against them.
Basic also got a great performance from Lincoln Evans as he tossed 4.2 innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits.
At the plate, Dallon Cegavske was a standout: he went 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in May of 2024. Tate Southisene was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
Basic's win bumped their record up to 14-4. As for Centennial, their defeat dropped their record down to 15-9.
Wednesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Centennial hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .331. However, it's not like Basic struggles in that department as they've averaged .344. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Centennial might still be hurting after the 13-2 loss they got from Basic when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Bulldogs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
