Greenbrier Christian Academy is a perfect 6-0 against Atlantic Shores Christian since April of 2023 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Gators will host the Seahawks at 4:30 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Friday.
Greenbrier Christian Academy is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Virginia's top teams: Western Branch, who was ranked 14th at the time (Greenbrier Christian Academy was ranked second). The Gators put the hurt on the Bruins with a sharp 8-1 victory on Tuesday. The result was nothing new for the Gators, who have now won seven matches by seven runs or more so far this season.
Haleigh Murphy
| 04/01/25 vs Western Branch | 10 |
| 03/27/25 @ Broadwater Academy | 11 |
| 03/22/25 vs Perquimans | 11 |
| 03/20/25 vs Camden County | 13 |
| 03/18/25 @ Fuqua | 7 |
| 03/15/25 vs St. Catherine's | 13 |
Haleigh Murphy spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on four hits and racked up ten Ks. She has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in six consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Cora Smith was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Bayleigh Kahiler was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one triple.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Atlantic Shores Christian and Hampton Christian Academy meet (three straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Thursday. The Seahawks were the clear victors by a 14-4 margin over the Warriors. With that win, the Seahawks brought their scoring average up to 7.2 runs per game.
Alyssa Marraccini made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off four hits (and only one walk). Those hits were her first of the season. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run.
In other batting news, Atlantic Shores Christian got a massive performance out of Skylar Carter, who fired off three triples, three runs, and one RBI while going 3-for-4. Those three triples gave Carter a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Genevieve Eichelberger, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI.
Atlantic Shores Christian kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Hampton Christian Academy only managed five hits.
The victory was the fourth in a row for Greenbrier Christian Academy, bringing their record up to 9-1. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Atlantic Shores Christian, the victory got them back to even at 2-2.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Greenbrier Christian Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .421. However, it's not like Atlantic Shores Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .447. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Greenbrier Christian Academy's way against Atlantic Shores Christian in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, as Greenbrier Christian Academy made off with a 13-0 win. Do the Gators have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Seahawks turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
