The Concord Christian Kingsmen will head out to take on the Nute Rams at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Concord Christian barely beat Wilton-Lyndeborough the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Kingsmen blew past the Warriors 8-1 on Monday. The victory was nothing new for the Kingsmen as they're now sitting on three straight.
TJ Charbono
| 05/19/25 @ Wilton-Lyndeborough | 16 |
| 05/12/25 vs Franklin | 17 |
| 05/07/25 @ Mascenic Regional | 9 |
| 04/25/25 vs Farmington | 11 |
| 04/18/25 vs Wilton-Lyndeborough | 19 |
| 04/14/25 @ Pittsfield | 7 |
TJ Charbono made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 16 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Grady St Jean, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and one double. That double was his first of the season. Jackson Barton was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Meanwhile, Nute hadn't done well against Portsmouth Christian Academy recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Monday. The Rams were the clear victors by an 11-4 margin over the Eagles. Winning may never get old, but the Rams sure are getting used to it with their seventh in a row.
Like Concord Christian, Nute also got a great game from a two-way player: Brody Leeman. He struck out seven batters over 6.2 innings while giving up four earned runs off six hits. Leeman was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Nute let Silas Picard and Cooper Janis run wild. Picard went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs, while Janis got on base in four of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases, one triple, and two RBI. That's the most hits Picard has posted since back in May of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Ryan Kane, who got on base in three of his five plate appearances with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Nute always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .524. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Portsmouth Christian Academy only posted an OBP of .345.
Nute pushed their record up to 10-3 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.8 runs over those games. As for Concord Christian, their record is now 10-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Concord Christian has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.1 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Nute struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Concord Christian came out on top in a nail-biter against Nute in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, sneaking past 3-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Kingsmen since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
