Varina hasn't had much luck against Mechanicsville recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Blue Devils are taking a road trip to face off against the Mustangs at 6:00 p.m. Varina is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 10.6 runs per game this season.
The home team had won the previous seven meetings between Varina and Armstrong, and Varina kept the tradition alive. The Blue Devils were the clear victors by a 19-5 margin over the Wildcats on Thursday. The matchup marked the Blue Devils' most dominant victory of the season so far.
Rylee Geer made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out 12 batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and four unearned) runs off two hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with five stolen bases, four runs, and two RBI.
Elaina Montalvo
| 04/17/25 vs Armstrong | 3 |
| 05/10/24 @ Highland Springs | 2 |
| 04/24/24 @ Hopewell | 2 |
| 04/17/24 vs Highland Springs | 2 |
| 04/12/24 vs Armstrong | 2 |
In other batting news, Elaina Montalvo and Julia Anderson did most of the damage at the plate: Montalvo went 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple, while Anderson went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. Those three hits gave Montalvo a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Shaniya Terry, who got on base in two of her three plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
Varina always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .548. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Mechanicsville came up short against Patrick Henry on Friday and fell 10-5. The Mustangs have struggled against the Patriots recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive lost meeting.
Ella Hagen made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. Avery Howell was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs.
Mechanicsville's loss dropped their record down to 2-5. As for Varina, they now have a winning record of 4-3.
Mechanicsville's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Monday. Varina has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.7 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Mechanicsville, though, as they've been averaging only 2.9 strikeouts. Will Varina keep running through batters, or will the Mustangs buck the trend?
Varina might still be hurting after the 10-0 defeat they got from Mechanicsville when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Blue Devils avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
