The Poplar Bluff Mules will head out on the road to challenge the Central Tigers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
While Poplar Bluff's win against Notre Dame wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Mules had just enough and edged out the Bulldogs 1-0 on Tuesday. The victory continues a trend for the Mules in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now won six in a row.

Noah Spain
| 03/25/25 @ Kennett | 4 |
| 03/21/25 vs Branson | 2 |
| 04/15/25 vs Notre Dame | 1 |
| 04/01/25 @ West Plains | 1 |
Noah Spain made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He didn't allow a single earned run over seven innings pitched. He also tossed a walk, which is notable because Poplar Bluff is 4-1 when he allows at most two walks, but 6-7 otherwise. Spain was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI.
Spain wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Brandt Bell, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases. Those two stolen bases gave Bell a new career-high.
Meanwhile, Central hadn't done well against Kennett recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. The Tigers walked away with a 9-6 win over the Indians. The Tigers' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Poplar Bluff's record now sits at 10-8. As for Central, their victory ended a nine-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 3-8.
Poplar Bluff took their win against Central in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 10-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Mules since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps