The Strawberry Crest Chargers will head out to take on the Gaither Cowboys at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Strawberry Crest 2.8, Gaither 3.5) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Strawberry Crest had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the seven-run drubbing they dealt Freedom on Tuesday. The Chargers never let the Patriots get on the board and left with a 7-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Chargers, who have now won 12 games by six runs or more so far this season.
Chase Conti was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over five innings pitched. He has been consistent for a while: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in nine consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Strawberry Crest let Toby Highsmith and Brisen Tweedy run wild. Highsmith scored a run while going 2-for-2, while Tweedy scored two runs while going 3-for-4. That's the most hits Tweedy has posted since back in March. Gabriel Blount also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Meanwhile, Gaither entered their tilt with Sickles on Tuesday with five consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with six. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past the Gryphons 5-3. That's two games straight that the Cowboys have won by exactly two runs.
Anthony Linares spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up six Ks.
On the hitting side, Jackson Mirza was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was David Pina, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
Strawberry Crest is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 18-5 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.9 runs on average over those games. As for Gaither, their win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 17-7.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Strawberry Crest has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Gaither struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Strawberry Crest came out on top in a nail-biter against Gaither in their previous meeting back in March of 2024, sneaking past 3-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Chargers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
