Gateway hasn't had much luck against Englewood recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Olympians will host the Pirates at 10:00 a.m. Gateway knows how to get runs on the board -- the squad has finished with ten runs or more in their past four matches -- so hopefully Englewood likes a good challenge.
Gateway barely beat Aurora Central the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Olympians put the hurt on the Trojans with a sharp 10-4 victory on Thursday. The Olympians might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six games by six runs or more this season.
Heber Almeida
| 04/17/25 @ Aurora Central | 7 |
| 04/08/25 vs Skyview | 3 |
| 03/17/25 vs Lincoln | 5 |
| 03/06/25 @ Rangeview | 5 |
| 05/13/24 vs Alameda | 5 |
| + 7 more games |
Heber Almeida made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over seven innings while giving up four earned runs off 12 hits (and only one walk). That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in April of 2024. He was even better at the plate, going 2-for-5 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. He is becoming a predictor of Gateway's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 6-1 (and 1-3 when he doesn't).
In other batting news, Mervin Loya was incredible, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. He has been hot, having posted at least one stolen base the last seven times he's played. Angel Ferrusquia was another key player, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with three stolen bases and one run.
Gateway was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .387. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Englewood had taken Fort Lupton down for four straight games at home, but that winning streak came to an end on Monday. The Pirates lost 12-6 to the Bluedevils.
Like Gateway, Englewood also got a great game from a two-way player: Grant Pebbles. On the mound, he struck out 12 batters over six innings while giving up four earned (and six unearned) runs off six hits. Pebbles was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and three runs.
In other batting news, Ethan Lort was cooking despite his team's loss, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Cristian Ayala, who went 1-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
Gateway is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 7-4 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.1 runs over those games. As for Englewood, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-7 record this season.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Gateway has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Englewood struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Gateway might still be hurting after the 17-7 defeat they got from Englewood in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Will the Olympians have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
