The Rifle Bears will face off against the Coal Ridge Titans at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Rifle is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.6 runs per game this season.
Palisade hit Rifle with a four-run fifth inning on Saturday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Bears lost 10-1 to the Bulldogs. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Bears have suffered since April 11th.
Tyler Arnold was cooking despite his team's loss, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and one run.
Meanwhile, Coal Ridge came tearing into Friday's matchup with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.6 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came out on top against the Cowboys by a score of 6-2.
Julian Perez made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Wyatt Murray was excellent, going 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI. George Roberts was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base and one run.
Rifle's loss ended a three-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 6-13. As for Coal Ridge, their victory bumped their record up to 14-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Rifle has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.5 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Coal Ridge struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Rifle suffered a grim 13-3 defeat to Coal Ridge in their previous meeting back in May of 2025. Will the Bears have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
