Excel Christian hasn't had much luck against Smith Valley recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Warriors will look to defend their home field against the Bulldogs at 10:00 a.m. Excel Christian is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 11.7 runs per game this season.
Last Thursday, Excel Christian got the win against Virginia City by a conclusive 9-3. The Warriors haven't had any issues with the Muckers recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Tommy Schoech was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, 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.
Grayson King
| 04/17/25 vs Virginia City | 3 |
| 03/22/25 vs Carlin | 3 |
| 04/17/25 @ Virginia City | 2 |
| 04/08/25 @ Coleville | 2 |
| 03/22/25 vs Carlin | 2 |
| + 6 more games |
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. King has become a key player for Excel Christian: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 1-3-1 otherwise.
Meanwhile, Smith Valley unfortunately witnessed the end of their eight-game winning streak on Monday. They fell just short of Mineral County by a score of 9-7. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Bulldogs have suffered since April 20, 2024.
Excel Christian pushed their record up to 10-3-1 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average 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.
Excel Christian might still be hurting after the 15-0 loss they got from Smith Valley in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Will the Warriors have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
