Central is 2-8 against Springstead since April of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Central Bears will face off against the Springstead Eagles at 7:00 p.m. Central is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.7 runs per game this season.
Central will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up one run on Tuesday, then bounced right back against Fivay on Wednesday. Central's pitchers stepped up to hand Fivay a 23-0 shutout. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Bears as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Jayden Warren and Jacob Lugo made a big impact no matter where they played. On the mound, Warren pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Meanwhile, Lugo tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Furthermore, Warren didn't allow a single walk, the first time he has blanked an opponent since back in February of 2024. At the plate, Warren scored three runs while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances, while Lugo went 2-for-3 with five RBI, three runs, and one double. What's more, Warren posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in April of 2024.
Talyn Poole
| 02/26/25 @ Fivay | 4 |
| 02/18/25 @ Nature Coast Tech | 2 |
| 02/11/25 vs Crystal River | 2 |
| 04/24/24 vs Countryside | 2 |
| 04/02/24 @ Citrus | 2 |
In other batting news, Talyn Poole was a standout: he went 1-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one double. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high. Tristan King was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances.
Central always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .585. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 12 runs the game before, Springstead was a bit more limited in their matchup on Thursday. They lost 8-1 to River Ridge. The defeat continues a trend for the Eagles in their matchups with the Royal Knights: they've now lost four in a row.
Springstead also got a good showing from Himanchall Persaud, who tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off six hits.
On the hitting side, Springstead saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Billy Ward, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one RBI.
The win got Central back to even at 3-3. As for Springstead, their loss was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 5-2.
Central might still be hurting after the 12-1 defeat they got from Springstead in their previous matchup on Tuesday. Can Central avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
