Monticello is 8-2 against Charlottesville since March of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. The Mustangs will venture away from home to challenge the Black Knights at 6:30 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Monticello took a seven-run loss the last time they faced off against Louisa County, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Mustangs skirted past the Lions 3-1. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Mustangs.
Landon Hamm-Shiflett
| 04/02/25 vs Rowan County | 4 |
| 03/21/25 vs James River Midlothian | 3 |
| 04/10/25 @ Louisa County | 1 |
Landon Hamm-Shiflett made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over 4.2 innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. He has become a key player for Monticello: the team is 2-1 when he allows at most three earned runs, but 1-5 otherwise. Hamm-Shiflett was also big at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI.
Hamm-Shiflett wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Gryfin Costa, who scored two runs while going 1-for-4.
While Charlottesville didn't have the best season last year (they finished 9-13), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They came out on top against Staunton by a score of 9-5 on Monday. The win continues a trend for the Black Knights in their matchups with the Storm: they've now won five in a row.
Like Monticello, Charlottesville also got a great game from a two-way player: Liam Frazier. On the mound, he tossed four innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits. Frazier was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-4. He also hit a double, marking his first of the season.
In other batting news, Brady Mauder was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with four RBI and two runs. Another player making a difference was Cabell Rose, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-3.
Charlottesville's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-1. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.3 runs over those games. As for Monticello, they picked up their first road victory, bumping their record up to 3-6.
Monticello suffered a grim 8-0 defeat to Charlottesville in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Can the Mustangs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
