If New Bern was feeling good off their 14-3 takedown of Northside - Jacksonville last Thursday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. The New Bern Bears fell just short of the Apex Cougars by a score of 4-3 on Friday. The result was an unpleasant reminder to New Bern of the 11-6 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in May of 2023.
Anna Champey spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on four hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in eight consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Codi Mann made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-2 with a triple, two RBI, and a double. Another player making a difference was Ki?mya Sutton, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
On Apex's side, they also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Alyssa Kaufman gave up just two earned (and one unearned) runs on eight hits.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Anamie Whittlesey, who scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. Leah Kendall was another key contributor, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-4.
New Bern's defeat ended a four-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 13-4. As for Apex, they are on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five matches, which provided a nice bump to their 12-5 record this season.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. New Bern will take on J.H. Rose at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. As for Apex, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Apex Friendship at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Apex Friendship will roll in looking for their fifth straight victory, something Apex surely won't give up without a fight.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
