The Elmwood Park Crusaders will head out on the road to square off against Bergen Charter at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday.
On Monday, Elmwood Park didn't have quite enough to beat Leonia and fell 9-8. The Crusaders have struggled against the Lions recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive lost meeting.
Kenneth Ortiz was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up four earned runs off five hits.
At the plate, Matthew Barrios made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, two RBI, and one run. Logan Solares also deserves some recognition as he scored his first runs of the season.
Bergen Charter came out on top against University Academy Charter on Monday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run sixth inning. Bergen Charter blew past University Academy Charter 12-1. The victory was some much needed relief for Bergen Charter as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak.
Kevin Montez made a big impact no matter where he played. He didn't allow a single hit and allowed only one earned run over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits any time he's pitched this season. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Justin Haroz, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with six stolen bases, four runs, and two RBI. Rogelio Salcedo was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one triple.
Bergen Charter always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .559. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Bergen Charter's record now sits at 5-10. As for Elmwood Park, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-15-1.
Elmwood Park came up short against Bergen Charter in their previous matchup back in April, falling 6-3. Can the Crusaders avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
