Baseball Game Preview: Columbia Crimson Tide vs. Lancaster Mennonite Blazers

Columbia is 9-1 against Lancaster Mennonite since May of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Wednesday. The Crimson Tide will face off against the Blazers at 4:15 p.m. Columbia will be strutting in after a win while Lancaster Mennonite will be coming in after a defeat.

Columbia was handed a 12-run loss in their previous outing, but that didn't affect their clutch gene on Monday. They had just enough and edged out Pequea Valley 3-2. The victory was some much needed relief for the Crimson Tide as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.

Peyton Gilbert spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on four hits and racked up 14 Ks. He also tossed a walk, which is notable because Columbia is undefeated when he allows at most one walk, but 3-8 otherwise.

At the plate, Columbia's win was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Cameron McClair, who went 1-for-4 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI. Drew Paules was another, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base and one run.

Meanwhile, Lancaster Mennonite fell victim to Annville-Cleona and their airtight pitching crew on Monday. They came up short against the Dutchmen, falling 13-0.

The victory got Columbia back to even at 8-8. As for Lancaster Mennonite, they have been struggling recently as they've lost seven of their last eight matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-10 record this season.

Everything went Columbia's way against Lancaster Mennonite in their previous meeting two weeks ago, as Columbia made off with an 8-2 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Crimson Tide since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.