The Bertie Falcons will head out on the road to take on the Martin County Gators at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Bertie will roll into the matchup after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Friday, then bounced right back against Southeast Halifax on Monday. Bertie put the hurt on Southeast Halifax with a sharp 23-5 win. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Falcons as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Cierstyn Langely made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out 13 batters over four innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off two hits. Langely was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Kiedan Perry was a standout: she scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. Alexia Dickerson was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Martin County put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They were the clear victors by a 13-6 margin over North East Carolina Prep.
Like Bertie, Martin County also got a great game from a two-way player: Erica Sturgill. On the mound, she struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up four earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits. Sturgill has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in nine consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, Rylah Ethridge was incredible, scoring two runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Ty'Hiera Wooten, who scored two runs while going 2-for-5.
Martin County kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in four consecutive contests.
Martin County pushed their record up to 11-0 with the win, which was their seventh straight on the road. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for Bertie, their record now sits at 5-8.
Bertie might still be hurting after the 23-0 defeat they got from Martin County when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can Bertie avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
