Baseball Game Preview: Carlin Railroaders vs. Smith Valley Bulldogs

Carlin hasn't had much luck against Smith Valley recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Railroaders will welcome the Bulldogs at 10:00 a.m.

Carlin is headed into Friday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their 32nd straight game dating back to last season on Tuesday. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost an 8-7 heartbreaker at the hands of Wells.

Meanwhile, Smith Valley came tearing into back in March's contest with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 14.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They blew past the Muckers 23-8. That's two games straight that the Bulldogs have won by exactly 15 runs.

Luke Lannom was a standout: he scored five runs and stole four bases while going 3-for-4. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Wyatt Wulfing, who went 1-for-4 with five stolen bases, six RBI, and three runs.

Smith Valley pushed their record up to 5-1 with the victory, which was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Carlin, their loss dropped their record down to 0-13.

Carlin might still be hurting after the 15-0 defeat they got from Smith Valley when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will the Railroaders have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.