Maroons
| 05/06/26 vs Effingham | 5 |
| 05/02/26 vs Normal Community | 4 |
| 05/02/26 vs Normal Community | 3 |
| 04/30/26 vs Normal West | 4 |
| 04/28/26 @ Centennial | 3 |
| + 23 more games |
The Champaign Central Maroons will head out to face off against the Oakwood Comets at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Champaign Central is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.3 runs per game this season.
Champaign Central will bounce into Thursday's contest after beating Effingham, who they had gone 1-6 against in their seven prior meetings. The Maroons came out on top in a nail-biter against the Flaming Hearts on Wednesday, sneaking past 5-4.
Haley Helm made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over seven innings while giving up four earned runs off six hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 16 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Mya De La Cruz, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
Meanwhile, Oakwood had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6.7 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Monday. They put the hurt on the Trojans with a sharp 12-2 victory. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Comets have posted against the Trojans since May 3, 2019.
Like Champaign Central, Oakwood also got a great game from a two-way player: Irene Rangel. She tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Rangel was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
In other batting news, Ashtyn Dailey and Gracie Hanner did most of the damage at the plate: Dailey went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Hanner went 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBI, and one double. Another player making a difference was Avery Trimmell, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with two runs and one RBI.
Oakwood always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .531. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Armstrong only posted an OBP of .318.
Champaign Central's record is now 23-4-1. As for Oakwood, their record now sits at 16-9.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Champaign Central has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 10.1 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Oakwood struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Champaign Central got the 'W' in their previous meeting back in May of 2025 against Oakwood by a conclusive 10-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Maroons since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
