Roanoke Catholic is 0-7 against The Covenant since March of 2015 but things could change on Thursday. The Celtics will venture away from home to square off against the Eagles at 4:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Having struggled with ten defeats in a row, Roanoke Catholic turned things around against Jefferson Christian Academy on Tuesday. They never let the Cardinals get on the board and left with a 14-0 victory. The Celtics' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Noah Peck was a standout: he got on base in all four of his plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April of 2024. Mason Williams also deserves some recognition as he launched his first home run of the season.
Roanoke Catholic always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .545. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, The Covenant got the win against Eastern Mennonite on Tuesday by a conclusive 28-4. Considering the Eagles have won seven matches by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Jonathan Albert made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all five of his plate appearances with five runs, two doubles, and one triple.
In other batting news, The Covenant got a massive performance out of Latham Clark, who got on base in all five of his plate appearances with one home run, six RBI, and four runs. Clark has been hot, having also posted at least one stolen base the last six times he's played. Another player making a difference was Hudson Reese, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, five RBI, and three runs.
The Covenant is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven games. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-5 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.9 runs on average over those games. As for Roanoke Catholic, they picked up their first road victory, bumping their record up to 2-12.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Roanoke Catholic has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.6 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like The Covenant struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 5.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Roanoke Catholic suffered a grim 14-4 defeat to The Covenant in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Celtics avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
