By Madison Hricik
It’s funny how last week I said there’s a lot of time to mix it up, and a week later there were indeed a lot of changes. From late comebacks to total domination, this week saw just about everything — and with minimal rain thankfully. Let’s see how the teams stacked up.
Top Dogs
1: Strasburg Express (10-3): The Express held onto the No. 1 spot for this week, but it was a close call. The team has shown its power, and opponents are hungry to beat them. However, Strasburg leads the league in winning percentage with help from infielder Ryan Galanie’s .371 batting average.
2: Woodstock River Bandits (10-4): The River Bandits have been on a mission this week, topping it off with a double-header sweep. The team jumped from the middle to No. 2, demonstrating the chemistry the players have and the potential they bear.
3: Charlottesville TomSox (10-4): Staying consistent over the last week, Charlottesville comes in at No. 3. Not far behind Woodstock, the TomSox have kept to the business of winning games, going 7-3 in the last ten games.
4: Winchester Royals (7-4): The Royals snapped a small skid to stay with the “Top Dogs.” Infielder Austin Bulman’s two home runs and eight RBIs this week have pushed the team to hold onto a winning record. To top it off, pitcher Kenny Quijano pitched a no-hitter Sunday night for a 7-0 win.
The Middle Pack
5: New Market Rebels (7-7): The Rebels’ offense has exploded over the last week, scoring double digits in three games. Hitter of the Week Jackson Lancaster has been a big help, with his two home runs, three triples and five RBIs to bring a four-game winning streak.
6: Waynesboro Generals (7-7): Sitting right in the middle, the Generals have reached the .500 marker after Sunday’s games. With the team’s offense heating up, they’re looking to expand the two-game winning streak into more this week.
7: Front Royal Cardinals (5-8): Another team that’s taken off after Week 1, Front Royal took advantage of the clearer weather and advanced into the Middle Pack. With pitchers Ezekiel Gongola and Gregory Martinez sitting in the top five ERA this week, the Cardinals are on the rise.
8: Harrisonburg Turks (5-6): The Turks snapped their four-game losing streak Sunday night, putting them just under the .500 marker. Infielder Carlos Marte has stayed hot for Harrisonburg, sitting in the top five for at-bats so far this season.
9: Covington Lumberjacks (4-8): Outfielder Victor Castillo hit .423 this week to sit second in the league. His performance, along with a big win on Friday, are big steps towards climbing the ladder for this team.
Teams with work to do
10: Staunton Braves (4-10): Outfielder Joseph Delossantos hit his first home run of the season this week and leads the team with a .323 batting average. Pitcher of the Week Reid Celata also earned seven strikeouts in his 12 innings pitched.
11: Purcellville Cannons (3-11): Infielder Jimmy Goldsmith leads the team in home runs with four this season, and scored seven runs this week to keep the Cannons running.
Things are starting to get interesting, and hopefully they continue to do so! Nothing makes power rankings more fun than some big upsets, so keep an eye out for those this week.