Sussex Central is preparing for their first region matchup of the season on Thursday. They will head out on the road to challenge the Surry County Cougars at 4:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
It was a proper cat-fight when Sussex Central challenged Charles City on Wednesday. Sussex Central was the clear victors by a 19-1 margin over Charles City. The Tigers haven't had any issues with the Panthers recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Marquez Stith made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Stith was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing Three bases. while going 2-for-2.
In other batting news, Jamari Gatling was a standout: he went a perfect 3-for-3 with five stolen bases, four runs, and four RBI. Another player making a difference was Justin Patterson, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and three RBI.
Sussex Central always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .742. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Charles City only posted an OBP of .364.
Meanwhile, Surry County gave their fans exactly what they wanted out of a home opener on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Greensville County with a sharp 11-4 win.
Like Sussex Central, Surry County also got a great game from a two-way player: Dalton Pierce. On the mound, Pierce struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). Meanwhile, Tanner Keckler tossed two innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. That's the most strikeouts Pierce has posted since back in March of 2024. At the plate, Pierce scored two runs and stole Two bases. while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances, while Keckler scored three runs and stole Four bases. while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Logan Livesay, who scored two runs and stole Three bases. while going 2-for-4. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in March of 2024. Mathew Johnson was another key player, scoring a run and stealing Three bases. while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances.
Sussex Central suffered a grim 8-2 defeat to Surry County when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can Sussex Central avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
