The Loudoun County Captains will face off against the John Champe Knights at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Loudoun County will be looking to extend their current five-game winning streak.
While Loudoun County's win against Freedom wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Captains sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-3 victory over the Eagles on Thursday. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since May 7, 2018, but that streak is no more.
Keira Bertoglio was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up a single earned run in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
In other pitching news, Madison Karschner tossed a big game, tossing five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits.
Back at the plate, Carissa Keefer was excellent, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. Sharon Manni was another key player, going 1-for-4 with one run and one double.
Loudoun County kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Freedom only managed four hits.
Meanwhile, Thursday just wasn't the day for John Champe's offense. They came up short against Charles J. Colgan on Thursday, falling 11-0. The matchup marked the first time this season in which the Knights were not able to get on the board.
Loudoun County pushed their record up to 11-4 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for John Champe, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 1-7.
John Champe's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Tuesday. Loudoun County has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 10.4 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for John Champe, though, as they've been averaging only 4 strikeouts. Will Loudoun County keep running through batters, or will the Knights buck the trend? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
