The Columbia City Eagles will challenge the DeKalb Barons at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Columbia City is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by a 19-3 margin over Northfield on Saturday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Eagles.
Colton Schroeder looked comfortable as he tossed four innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits.
At the plate, Logan Frey was a standout: he got on base in four of his six plate appearances with two runs, two doubles, and one RBI. Those two doubles gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Lukus Schmitt, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Columbia City kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Northfield only managed four hits.
Meanwhile, DeKalb waltzed into their match on Saturday with eight straight wins... but they left with nine. They never let the Warriors get on the board and left with a 14-0 win. While the Barons didn't have the best season last year (they finished 11-17), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Bo Minehart was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, Drake Hall was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with five RBI, two runs, and one triple. Reagan Hess also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
DeKalb pushed their record up to 12-1 with the victory, which was their fifth straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Columbia City, their record is now 12-4.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Columbia City has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .438. However, it's not like DeKalb struggles in that department as they've averaged .525. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Columbia City beat DeKalb 7-3 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Eagles since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
