Central City/Centura is a perfect 4-0 against Fairbury since April of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Monday. The Kernels will host the Jeffs at 12:00 p.m. The timing is sure in Central City/Centura's favor as the squad sits on five straight wins at home (dating back to last season) while Fairbury has been banged up by ten consecutive losses on the road also dating back to last season.
On Thursday, Central City/Centura got the win against Wahoo/Bishop Neumann by a conclusive 11-2. Fans of the Kernels have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 6+ runs.
Barrett Fries
| 04/10/25 @ Wahoo/Bishop Neumann | 2 |
| 04/04/25 vs Holdrege | 0 |
| 03/25/25 vs Guardian Angels Central Catholic/West Point Beemer | 1 |
Barrett Fries spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on two hits and racked up six Ks. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Colter Lueders, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and four RBI. Mason Gorecki was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two runs.
Lueders wasn't the only one working in the home run department: Central City/Centura lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now launched at least two home runs in three consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Fairbury beat Falls City 6-1 on Thursday. That looming 6-1 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Jeffs yet this season.
Fairbury also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and he was also dialed-in: Dom Joe gave up a run (which was unearned) on two hits and racked up 11 Ks.
On the hitting side, Fairbury saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jacob Nippert, who scored a run while going 1-for-3. What's more, Nippert posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. Another was Dakotah Neumiller, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
Central City/Centura's win bumped their record up to 7-0. As for Fairbury, their victory bumped their record up to 3-8.
Fairbury's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Central City/Centura hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .337. It's a different story for Fairbury, though, as they've only averaged .253. Will they be able to contain Central City/Centura's hitters?
Everything went Central City/Centura's way against Fairbury in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, as Central City/Centura made off with a 15-0 win. Do the Kernels have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Jeffs turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
