Rifle is 0-10 against Palisade since April of 2019 but things could change on Saturday. The Bears will take on the Bulldogs at 11:00 a.m. Rifle is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.7 runs per game this season.
Rifle took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They walked away with a 7-2 win over Roaring Fork. The Bears haven't had any issues with the Rams recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Ryder Bjurstrom
| 04/30/25 vs Roaring Fork | 12 |
| 04/12/25 @ Eagle Valley | 9 |
| 03/17/25 vs Mountain View | 9 |
| 04/05/25 vs Steamboat Springs | 8 |
| 03/22/25 vs Bayfield | 8 |
| + 6 more games |
Ryder Bjurstrom spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on three hits and racked up 12 Ks. He is becoming a predictor of Rifle's success: when he posts at least eight strikeouts the team is undefeated (and 4-9 when he doesn't).
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Adan Medina, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run. Another player making a difference was Robbie Magnuson, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run.
Rifle always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .516. The last time their OBP was this high was back in May of 2024.
Meanwhile, Palisade got the win against Grand Junction on Friday by a conclusive 11-3. The Bulldogs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine matchups by six runs or more this season.
Christian Herrera looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one walk in seven consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Palisade got a big performance out of Tobyn Trottier, who went 2-for-4 with one home run. The team also got some help courtesy of Ascher Morby, who went 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBI.
Palisade is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a massive bump to their 12-8 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.2 runs over those games. As for Rifle, the victory got them back to even at 9-9.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Rifle has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Palisade struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Rifle might still be hurting after the 10-4 loss they got from Palisade in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Bears avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
