The Columbine Rebels will head out on the road to square off against the Ralston Valley Mustangs at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Columbine has given up an average of 6.7 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Columbine's last matchup with Valor Christian could've gone either way, but unfortunately the same can't be said for the pair's contest on Tuesday. The Rebels lost 15-4 to the Eagles. The Rebels haven't had much luck with the Eagles recently, as the team has come up short the last nine times they've met.
James Salazar was cooking despite his team's loss, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Elliot Nelson also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Ralston Valley). They were the clear victors by a 15-8 margin over Monarch on Monday. The win was nothing new for the Mustangs as they're now sitting on three straight.
Jake Watts looked comfortable as he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
On the hitting side, Bret Baldwin was a standout: he went a perfect 5-for-5 with four runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April of 2024. Nico Benallo was another key player, getting on base in five of his six plate appearances with three RBI, one run, and one double.
Ralston Valley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 17 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Ralston Valley pushed their record up to 8-6 with the victory, which was their fourth straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.5 runs over those games. As for Columbine, their loss dropped their record down to 6-9.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Columbine has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Ralston Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Columbine came up short against Ralston Valley in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, falling 7-4. Can the Rebels avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
