Blue Ridge hasn't had much luck against North Cross recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. The Barons are taking a road trip to take on the Raiders at 4:30 p.m. Blue Ridge has given up an average of 10.7 runs per game this season, but Wednesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Blue Ridge lost 15-7 to Grace Christian School on Thursday.
Meanwhile, North Cross had already won six in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.2 runs) and they went ahead and made it seven on Tuesday. They came out on top against the Colonels by a score of 7-4.
Ryan Thomas was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in eight consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs.
In other batting news, Tristan Lange and Chase Shannon did most of the damage at the plate: Lange went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI, while Shannon got on base in two of his five plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base. Shannon has become a key player for North Cross: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 2-4 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Luke Daniel, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
North Cross pushed their record up to 11-4 with the victory, which was their sixth straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for Blue Ridge, their loss dropped their record down to 4-8.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Blue Ridge has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like North Cross struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.5 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Blue Ridge might still be hurting after the 17-0 defeat they got from North Cross when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Barons avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
