Baseball Game Preview: Merkel Badgers vs. Grape Creek Eagles

For the first time this season, Merkel will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup on Tuesday. They are taking a road trip to take on the Grape Creek Eagles at 5:00 p.m. Merkel has given up an average of 8 runs per game this season, so hopefully the team got some pitching drills in this week.

Merkel saw some tournament action on Saturday. They fell 16-13 to Ballinger. While the Badgers didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Bearcats 5-1 in the first period.

Kaden Blubaugh made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-4 with one home run and four RBI. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high. Easton Malone also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.

Even though they lost, Merkel kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.

After ending last season with seven straight losses, Grape Creek opened this season with a bang. They put the hurt on Midland Texas Leadership Charter Academy with a sharp 13-0 win on Saturday.

Wyatt Smith made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out six over four innings pitched. Smith was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lane Kluesner, who scored three runs while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. Braley Woods was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.

This is the second loss in a row for Merkel and nudges their season record down to 5-2-1. As for Grape Creek, their record now sits at 1-0.

Everything went Merkel's way against Grape Creek when the teams last played back in March of 2024, as Merkel made off with an 11-3 victory. Does Merkel have another victory up their sleeve, or will Grape Creek turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.