Norfolk Collegiate had lost six straight on the road dating back to last season, but on Wednesday they dropped their record down to 1-7 to make it seven. They lost 24-1 to the Hampton Roads Academy Navigators. Unfortunately, that's the second time they've come up short against the Navigators this season, as they also lost their prior matchup 14-4 two weeks ago.
Norfolk Collegiate saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Zach Beaudry, who went 1-for-2 with one double and one RBI. Wyatt Stradling also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.
As for Hampton Roads Academy, their victory was their first in the region, bumping their region record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 5-5. Their hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
On Hampton Roads Academy's side, Connor Muse was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out six over four innings pitched. Muse has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. He has become a key player for Hampton Roads Academy: the team is 3-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 2-4 otherwise.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Graham Hutchens, who fired off two home runs, ten RBI, and four runs while going 4-for-4. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 2.1 runs per game. Another player making a difference was Elijah Williams, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
Norfolk Collegiate didn't take long to hit the field again: they've already played their next matchup, a 15-5 loss against Norfolk Christian on the 10th. As for Hampton Roads Academy, they also wasted no time getting back out on the field and have already played their next contest, a 13-2 defeat against Steward on the 10th.
