The Windsor Dukes will venture away from home to face off against the Surry County Cougars at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Surry County will square off against a team with plenty of momentum: Windsor extended their winning streak to ten on Tuesday. The Dukes' pitchers stepped up to hand Brunswick a 21-0 shutout.
Rylin Szymanski and Blake Darden were major factors no matter where they played. On the mound, Szymanski pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Darden pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Szymanski has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in ten consecutive appearances. At the plate, Szymanski went 2-for-5 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double, while Darden went 1-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
Windsor always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .629. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Brunswick only posted an OBP of .176.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Surry County, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They blew past Franklin 19-1 on Tuesday. The Cougars' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Like Windsor, Surry County also got a great game from a pair of two-way players: Blake Edwards. Throwing, Edwards struck out nine batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). Meanwhile, Dawson Keckler tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Those nine strikeouts gave Edwards a new career-high. At bat, Edwards went 1-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI, while Keckler went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and one run.
Windsor's record now sits at 16-2. As for Surry County, their record is now 10-4.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Windsor has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .534. However, it's not like Surry County struggles in that department as they've averaged .452. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Windsor got the 'W' when the teams last played back in April against Surry County by a conclusive 12-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Dukes since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
