Champaign Central hasn't had much luck against Effingham recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Maroons will head out to challenge the Hearts at 4:30 p.m. Champaign Central's pitching crew has only allowed 1.7 runs per game this season, so Effingham's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Champaign Central was handed a heart-breaking two-run defeat in their last game, but they sure didn't let that happen against Urbana on Thursday. The Maroons' pitchers stepped up to hand the Tigers a 15-0 shutout. The Maroons might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight matchups by ten runs or more this season.
Haley Helm
| 04/17/25 @ Urbana | 9 |
| 04/16/25 vs Charleston | 13 |
| 04/14/25 @ Mattoon | 8 |
Maisie Bowers and Haley Helm were major factors while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Bowers pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Meanwhile, Helm struck out nine batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. At the plate, Bowers went 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI, while Helm went a perfect 4-for-4 with six RBI and two doubles. That's the most hits Helm has posted since back in March of 2024.
In other batting news, Champaign Central got a big performance out of Grace Bandy, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double. Kaydence Swanson also deserves some recognition as she scored her first run of the season.
Champaign Central kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in 13 consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, Effingham had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6.8 runs) and they went ahead and made it five on Wednesday. They walked away with an 8-4 victory over the Maroons.
Like Champaign Central, Effingham also got a great game from a two-way player: Saige Althoff. She pitched 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Althoff was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and one run.
In other batting news, Keagyn Koenig was excellent, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Sidney Donaldson, who earned one RBI, one run, and two stolen bases.
Champaign Central's win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 10-1. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.6 runs over those games. As for Effingham, their record is now 7-4.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Friday. Champaign Central hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 1.3 home runs per game. However, it's not like Effingham struggles in that department as they've been averaging 1.8 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Champaign Central might still be hurting after the 11-5 loss they got from Effingham when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Maroons avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
