Antwerp had lost five straight on the road, but on Monday they dropped down to 1-7 to make it six. They took a 9-5 hit to the loss column at the hands of the North Central Eagles. The Archers were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Eagles apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in May of 2025.
Lucas Sproles was huge no matter where he played even without the win. On the mound, he struck out seven batters over 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Sproles was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one run, one double, and one RBI. That double was his first of the season.
In other batting news, Riley Smith made the most of his time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with two runs, two doubles, and one RBI. Gage Clevinger was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs.
As for North Central, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 8-5 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games.
On North Central's side, Easton Fidler spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered five earned runs on eight hits and racked up 15 Ks.
At the plate, Jackson Poynter was excellent, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two triples, three runs, and one stolen base. North Central is undefeated when Poynter posts two or more runs, but 2-5 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Alex St John, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Antwerp will take on Montpelier at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Locomotives' pitching crew has only allowed 2.4 runs per game this season, so the Archers' hitters will have their work cut out for them. As for North Central, they will face off against Gorham Fayette at 5:00 p.m. on Friday.
