The Jefferson County Christian Royals will take on the Bridgeport Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Jefferson County Christian is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.4 runs per game this season.
The home team had won the previous six meetings between Jefferson County Christian and Beallsville, and Jefferson County Christian kept the tradition alive. The Royals never let the Blue Devils get on the board and left with a 16-0 victory on Monday. The Royals might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine matchups by six runs or more this season.
Lee Gump made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits over five innings pitched. Gump was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Aiden Howard
| 04/21/25 vs Beallsville | 3 |
| 04/07/25 @ Non Varsity Opponent | 2 |
| 04/03/25 @ Non Varsity Opponent | 2 |
| 04/01/25 @ Leetonia | 2 |
| 03/29/25 @ Southern | 2 |
In other batting news, Aiden Howard was a standout: he went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and two doubles. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Wyatt Hervey, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs.
Jefferson County Christian always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .606. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Beallsville only posted an OBP of .067.
Meanwhile, Bridgeport earned a 4-1 win over Shenandoah on Thursday.
Connor Nelson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on two hits and racked up 13 Ks.
At the plate, Bridgeport's victory was truly a team effort as three different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Carson Sauvageot, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with one run, one double, and one RBI. That double was Sauvageot's first of the season.
Jefferson County Christian pushed their record up to 10-4 with the win, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.8 runs over those games. As for Bridgeport, their win bumped their record up to 2-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Jefferson County Christian has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Bridgeport struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Jefferson County Christian came out on top in a nail-biter against Bridgeport in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, sneaking past 7-6. Will the Royals repeat their success, or do the Bulldogs have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
