vs
| 05/11/24 - Neutral | 15-0 W |
| 03/23/24 - Home | 13-0 W |
| 03/23/24 - Home | 12-2 W |
| 04/25/23 - Away | 17-0 W |
| 04/25/23 - Away | 15-2 W |
| + 2 more games |
Smith Valley is a perfect 7-0 against Excel Christian since April of 2022 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. The Bulldogs will head out on the road to challenge the Warriors at 10:00 a.m. Smith Valley's pitching crew has only allowed 3.9 runs per game this season, so Excel Christian's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Smith Valley blew Mineral County out of the water the last time the pair played, but on Monday Mineral County got their revenge. The Bulldogs fell just short of the Serpents by a score of 9-7. The Bulldogs' loss signaled the end of their eight-game winning streak.
Meanwhile, Excel Christian made easy work of Virginia City on Thursday and carried off a 9-3 win. The Warriors might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine games by six runs or more this season.
Tommy Schoech made a splash while hitting and pitching. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out eight over six innings pitched. He has been consistent: he hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. Excel Christian is undefeated when Schoech posts two or more runs, but 1-3-1 otherwise.
In other batting news, Excel Christian let Luc Mandes and Grayson King run wild. Mandes went 4-for-5 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI, while King went 1-for-4 with four stolen bases and three runs. Those four stolen bases gave King a new career-high.
Excel Christian's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-3-1. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.5 runs over those games. As for Smith Valley, their defeat was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 8-1 and their overall record down to 8-2.
Smith Valley took their victory against Excel Christian when the teams last played back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 15-0 score. Do the Bulldogs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Warriors turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
