Baseball: Knights Head to Harford Riding Four-Game Steak
Baltimore County, Md. -- The Knights began this year losing six straight and seven-of-10, but will head to Bel Air, Md. tomorrow riding a four-game winning streak, including the last three on the road.
After averaging 5.6 runs per game in their first 10, the Knights are averaging nearly eight runs a game during their season-high winning streak.
A large part of their recent success is due to the bats of Gage Shaffer (Frankfort), Lucas Nakich (Archbishop Curley), Patrick Barrett (Southern Regional), Armando Prieto (South Miami) and Nelson Laviosa (Ronald Reagan).
Shaffer currently leads the team with a .393 batting average, six homers, and 24 RBIs. Over his last four games, Shaffer is batting .375 (3-8) with two doubles, four runs scored and has drawn five walks.
Nakich is hitting .353 (6-17) during the steak, with an RBI and two runs. He has a slash line of .333/.421/.424 with 12 RBIs, four doubles and a triple.
Barrett has argubly been the biggest surprise at the plate. He began the season as a pitcher-only; however, on March 22, head coach Mike Carter gave Barrett the start at first and he went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
During the Knights' recent winning streak, Barrett has gone 5-for-16 (.313) with three RBIs, a double and five runs scored. He has seen more time at first, played second base, and been the pitcher/DH.
Barrett continues to dominate when it's his turn on the mound as well. Last Thursday, he got the start against CCBC Catonsville and allowed just two earned on four hits over six and one third, while striking out nine and walking five.
In addition to Barrett, southpaw Jeffrey Young (Eastern Tech) has contributed on the bump as well.
Young got the win on Saturday in game one of a double header at Chesapeake College. The lefty went six innings and despite surrendering nine walks, allowed just three earned runs on three hits.
Prieto and Laviosa have picked a good time to wake up their bats as well.
Prieto followed up his pinch-hit, game-winning RBI game against Dundalk (March 26) with a 3-for-5, three-homer, six RBI game against Catonsville. During his team's four-game streak, Prieto is batting .333 (4-12) with four runs scored, a double and the aforementioned homeruns and RBIs.
Laviosa began the season slow, and while he is currently batting just .259 with nine RBIs, he has shown recent signs of breaking out.
Over the last three games, the Knights 2018 team MVP is hitting .364 (4-11) with two RBIs, two doubles and three runs scored.
Next up
The Knights travel to Harford on Wednesday for a double header against the ever dangerous Fighting Owls.
Harford has not lost to the Knights since March 9, 2016.
Game one is scheduled for 2 p.m. Live stats and video can be found on Harford's website at www.harfordathletics.com.