The Columbus Explorers will head out on the road to face off against the Killian Cougars at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Columbus will be looking to extend their current six-game winning streak.
Columbus proved they can win big on Wednesday (they won by eight) and on Thursday they proved they can win the close ones too. They narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past TERRA Environmental 5-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Explorers have posted since February 20th.
Columbus got a great performance from Julian Cazanas as he pitched 6.1 innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off four hits.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Maximus Alvarez, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double. Rafael Diaz was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and one run.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Killian, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They walked away with an 8-3 win over Westminster Christian on Thursday.
Ryan Llambes tossed a big game, striking out six batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in February. Phoenix Medina picked up the save, tossing two innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit.
At the plate, David Builes was excellent, going 3-for-4 with one stolen base and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Antonio Lesizza, who went 1-for-2 with two runs and one RBI.
Columbus' record is now 18-3. As for Killian, their record now sits at 11-9.
Saturday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Columbus has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .468. However, it's not like Killian struggles in that department as they've averaged .448. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Columbus got the 'W' when the teams last played back in February of 2025 against Killian by a conclusive 8-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Explorers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
