Champaign Central is 0-10 against Normal West since April of 2016 but things could change on Monday. The Maroons will challenge the Wildcats at 4:30 p.m. Champaign Central will be looking to extend their current 12-game winning streak.
On Saturday, Champaign Central made easy work of Peoria Notre Dame and carried off a 7-1 victory. Considering the Maroons have won 14 matches by more than five runs this season, Saturday's blowout was nothing new.
Haley Helm
| 05/10/25 vs Peoria Notre Dame | 15 |
| 05/08/25 vs Oakwood | 7 |
| 05/07/25 @ Meridian | 13 |
| 05/06/25 vs Centennial | 13 |
| 05/03/25 vs Springfield | 13 |
| + 7 more games |
Haley Helm was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 15 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in 12 consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Molly Kloeppel, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. Maisie Bowers was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Normal West lost 10-1 to Canton on Saturday.
Normal West saw nine different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kinley Yacko, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one run.
Champaign Central pushed their record up to 21-1 with the win, which was their seventh straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.6 runs on average over those games. As for Normal West, they have been struggling recently as they've lost five of their last six contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 8-15 record this season.
Normal West's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Champaign Central has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .497. It's a different story for Normal West, though, as they've only averaged .322. Will they be able to contain Champaign Central's hitters? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
