The John Champe Knights are taking a road trip to challenge the Loudoun County Captains at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. John Champe has given up an average of 13.8 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
John Champe fell victim to Charles J. Colgan and their airtight pitching crew on Thursday. They came up short against the Sharks, falling 11-0. The matchup marked the first time this season in which the Knights were not able to get on the board.
Meanwhile, Loudoun County came tearing into Thursday's game with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 4.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 4-3 W against the Eagles. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Captains have posted since March 25th.
Keira Bertoglio made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up a single earned run in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
In other pitching news, Madison Karschner tossed a big game, pitching five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits.
Back at the plate, Carissa Keefer was excellent, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. Laynie Nichols also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Loudoun County hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least two batters in three consecutive contests.
Loudoun County's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 11-4. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for John Champe, their loss dropped their record down to 1-7.
John Champe came out on top in a nail-biter against Loudoun County when the teams last played back in May of 2024, sneaking past 6-5. Will the Knights repeat their success, or do the Captains have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
