The Smith Valley Bulldogs will square off against the Liberty Baptist Academy Knights at 12:30 p.m. on Friday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.
Smith Valley heads in on the heels of a playoff match on Thursday. They came up short against Indian Springs, falling 7-1. The Bulldogs have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Smith Valley saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Wyatt Wulfing, who went 1-for-2 with one triple and one stolen base. Brysen Walston was another, going 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Liberty Baptist Academy didn't have quite enough to beat Wells on Thursday and fell 8-7.
Noah McConnell was huge while hitting and pitching even without the win. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 14 batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. He has become a key player for Liberty Baptist Academy: the team is 15-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 4-6 otherwise.
In other batting news, Bruce Delgado made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Bryce Miano, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Smith Valley's loss dropped their record down to 16-5. As for Liberty Baptist Academy, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 19-7 record this season.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Smith Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .489. However, it's not like Liberty Baptist Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .402. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
