Baseball Game Preview: Johnstown-Monroe Johnnies vs. Columbus Academy Vikings

The Johnstown-Monroe Johnnies are taking a road trip to take on the Columbus Academy Vikings at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.

On Saturday, Johnstown-Monroe needed a bit of extra time to put away Fredericktown. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past the Freddies 6-5.

Braeden Archibald was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed three innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one walk in eight consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 3-for-5 with one RBI.

Carter Holbrook

Hits (Career)

05/17/25 vs Fredericktown	3
04/28/25 @ Utica	2
04/01/25 @ Bishop Hartley	2
05/16/25 vs Zanesville	1
05/15/25 vs Heath	1

In other batting news, Johnstown-Monroe got a big performance out of Carter Holbrook, who went 3-for-5 with one run and one RBI. Those three hits gave Holbrook a new career-high. Sevi Chiddention was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI and one double.

Johnstown-Monroe hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least three batters in four consecutive games.

Meanwhile, Columbus Academy had just enough and edged out St. Francis DeSales 4-2 on Tuesday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Vikings.

Johnstown-Monroe now has a winning record of 12-11. As for Columbus Academy, their record is now 16-6-1.

Johnstown-Monroe skirted past Columbus Academy 2-1 in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Will the Johnnies repeat their success, or do the Vikings have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.