The Gaston Christian Eagles will venture away from home to challenge the Charlotte Latin Hawks at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Gaston Christian will be strutting in after a victory while Charlotte Latin will be coming in after a loss.
Gaston Christian took a loss when they played away from home last Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They blew past Hickory Grove Christian 12-2. That looming 12-2 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Eagles yet this season.
Lana Hanson made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She struck out six batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off eight hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run.
In other batting news, Gaston Christian let Marleigh Huskins and Emerson Rushing run wild. Huskins went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI, while Rushing went 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. That's the most RBI Rushing has posted since back in April of 2024. Aubrey Hurd also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Gaston Christian was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .387. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Charlotte Latin unfortunately witnessed the end of their four-game winning streak on Thursday. They took a 6-2 hit to the loss column at the hands of Covenant Day. The contest marked the Hawks' lowest-scoring matchup so far this season.
Charlotte Latin saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Ainsley Sullivan, who went 2-for-3 with one double.
Gaston Christian moved to 3-9 with that win, which also ended their three-game losing streak. As for Charlotte Latin, their defeat dropped their record down to 13-4.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Gaston Christian has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.1 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Charlotte Latin struggles in that department as they've been averaging 10.9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Gaston Christian couldn't quite finish off Charlotte Latin in their previous meeting back in March of 2024 and fell 2-0. Can the Eagles avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
