Prairie Central had lost four straight on the road, but on Monday they dropped their record down to 5-18 to make it five. They fell 5-1 to the Illinois Valley Central Grey Ghosts. If the Hawks were looking for revenge after losing 5-1 to the Grey Ghosts when the teams met back in April of 2024, then they'll just have to keep looking.
Collin Hartman was huge no matter where he played even without the win. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. What's more, he gave up only zero walks, the fewest he's had since back in March. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
Hartman wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Easton Friedman, who went 1-for-3 with one run.
As for Illinois Valley Central, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 15-10. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 3 runs in those games.
On Illinois Valley Central's side, Grant Bramer spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on five hits and racked up nine Ks. Bramer has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Brody Garceau was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Keegan Schol, who went 2-for-3 with two doubles, one run, and one RBI.
Looking ahead, Prairie Central will look to defend their home field on Tuesday against Eureka at 4:30 p.m. The Hornets will roll in looking for their sixth straight victory, something the Hawks surely won't give up without a fight. As for Illinois Valley Central, they will head out on the road to square off against Deer Creek-Mackinaw at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The Grey Ghosts are facing the Chiefs at the right time seeing as the Chiefs are stuck on a four-game losing streak.
