Golden Eagles
| 05/05/25 vs Leslie | 5 |
| 05/03/25 @ Decatur | 2 |
| 05/02/25 vs East Jackson | 18 |
| 04/28/25 vs Vandercook Lake | 16 |
| + 7 more games |
The Columbia Central Golden Eagles will head out on the road to challenge the Homer Trojans at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Columbia Central is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.8 runs per game this season.
If Columbia Central beats Homer with five runs on Wednesday, it's going to be the squad's new lucky number: they've won their past two matches with that exact score. The Golden Eagles sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 5-3 victory over Leslie on Monday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Golden Eagles.
Conor Rentfrow and Nick Wilding made a splash no matter where they played. Throwing, Rentfrow struck out 11 batters over 6.2 innings while giving up three earned runs off seven hits (and only one walk). Meanwhile, Wilding kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits over 5.1 innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. At bat, Rentfrow fired off two home runs, four RBI, and one stolen base while going 4-for-6, while Wilding got on base in three of his six plate appearances with two stolen bases. Those two home runs gave Rentfrow a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Chase Dukate, who went 3-for-6 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. That stolen base was his first of the season.
Columbia Central lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Homer scored first but ultimately less than Grass Lake in their contest on Monday. They came up short against the Warriors, falling 7-1. The game marked the Trojans' lowest-scoring match so far this season.
Homer saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Zak Smith, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run.
Columbia Central's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-2. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.3 runs over those games. As for Homer, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 6-7 record this season.
Wednesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Columbia Central has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .445. However, it's not like Homer struggles in that department as they've averaged .454. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Columbia Central took their win against Homer in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 22-2 score. Do the Golden Eagles have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Trojans turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
