Central is a perfect 3-0 against North Providence since May of 2017 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. The Knights will take on the Cougars at 4:00 p.m. Central is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7 runs per game this season.
Central is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Rhode Island's top teams: Ponaganset, who was ranked 22nd at the time (Central was ranked 16th). The Knights fell just short of the Chieftains by a score of 9-8 on Friday.
AJ Vega
| 04/25/25 @ Ponaganset | 9 |
| 04/21/25 @ Middletown | 10 |
| 04/16/25 vs West Warwick | 5 |
| 04/09/25 vs St. Raphael Academy | 5 |
| 04/02/25 @ Prout | 12 |
AJ Vega was huge no matter where he played even without the win. On the mound, he struck out nine batters over 5.1 innings while giving up four earned runs off only two hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Braulio Franco made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 3-for-5 with three RBI, two runs, and one double. Maikel Soriano was another key player, going 2-for-5 with two stolen bases and two runs.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask North Providence). They were the clear victors by a 12-4 margin over Ponaganset on Monday. While the Cougars didn't have the best season last year (they finished 9-12), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Like Central, North Providence also got a great game from a two-way player: Mike Ryan. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. Ryan was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. That stolen base was his first of the season.
In other batting news, JT Raftery was a standout: he went 1-for-4 with four runs and one stolen base. That hit marked the first that he has got this season. Another player making a difference was Gabe Ramirez, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
North Providence kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since the start of last season.
Central's defeat dropped their record down to 6-4. As for North Providence, their record now sits at 8-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Central has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like North Providence struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.4 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Central's way against North Providence in their previous meeting back in April of 2018, as Central made off with a 14-7 victory. Do the Knights have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Cougars turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
