The Brighton Bulldogs will square off against the Erie Tigers at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Brighton is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.6 runs per game this season.
Brighton's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Wednesday. They blew past Mountain Range 14-0. The high-scoring effort was just what the Bulldogs needed considering they were shut out in their previous matchup.
Austin Sickler
| 04/02/25 vs Mountain Range | 8 |
| 05/13/24 @ Poudre | 5 |
| 04/25/24 vs Loveland | 3 |
| 04/09/24 vs Fort Collins | 3 |
| 03/17/25 vs West Mifflin | 2 |
Austin Sickler made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out eight over four innings pitched. Those eight strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two triples, three RBI, and one run.
In other batting news, Austin Waltemath was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. Another player making a difference was Nolan Engle, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI.
Brighton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .647. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, after a string of five wins, Erie's good fortune finally ran out on Wednesday. They fell just short of Fairview by a score of 3-2. The game marked the Tigers' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.
Kaden Bertsch spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on five hits. That earned run was his first of the season.
On the hitting side, Taylor McMaster made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored a run while going 1-for-3. Evan Dillinger was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one double.
Erie's defeat was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 8-3. As for Brighton, their win bumped their record up to 6-3.
Saturday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Brighton has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .447. However, it's not like Erie struggles in that department as they've averaged .462. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Brighton took their victory against Erie in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 13-2 score. Will the Bulldogs repeat their success, or do the Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
