Christchurch School hasn't had much luck against Saint Gertrude recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Seahorses will challenge the Gators at 4:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Saint Gertrude will face off against a team with plenty of momentum: Christchurch School extended their winning streak to three on Wednesday. The Seahorses blew past Norfolk Christian 11-1.
Alivia Bruce made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Christchurch School let Rylee Taylor and Avery Thomas run wild. Taylor went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI, while Thomas went 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. Another player making a difference was Charli Miltenberger, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Christchurch School kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 3.7 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 matches they've averaged 9.2.
Meanwhile, Saint Gertrude got the win against Collegiate on Tuesday by a conclusive 19-4. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Gators.
Like Christchurch School, Saint Gertrude also got a great game from a two-way player: Sophia Covington. On the mound, Covington pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Sophie Sims struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off four hits (and only one walk). At the plate, Covington went 3-for-5 with four RBI and one double, while Sims went a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles. That's the most RBI Sims has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Campbell Kincaid was incredible, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with four runs, two stolen bases, and three RBI. Those four runs gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Ali Sprouse, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
The victory got Saint Gertrude back to even at 8-8. As for Christchurch School, their record now sits at 6-10.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Christchurch School has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Saint Gertrude struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.1 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
