The Arcola Purple Riders will head out on the road to square off against the Cumberland Pirates at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Monday, Arcola got the win against Okaw Valley by a conclusive 13-1. The victory continues a trend for the Purple Riders in their matchups with the Timberwolves: they've now won five in a row.
Anahi Cooper
| 04/13/26 vs Okaw Valley | 5 |
| 04/10/26 @ Heritage | 6 |
| 04/08/26 vs Tuscola | 7 |
Anahi Cooper made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing five innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases and three runs. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Arcola let Madeline Pilkington and Kayla Lyons run wild. Pilkington went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run, while Lyons went 2-for-3 with two doubles, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most stolen bases Pilkington has posted since back in March. Analia Cooper was another key player, going 1-for-2 with three runs and one RBI.
Arcola always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .655. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Cumberland came out on top against Mattoon on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run fourth inning. The Pirates won by a run and slipped past the Greenwave 5-4. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since April 26, 2018, but that streak is no more.
Mia Holsapple spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on six hits.
On the hitting side, Lauren Schnepper and Ashton Tolen did most of the damage at the plate: Schnepper went 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI, while Tolen went 2-for-3 with one run and one double. Kada Miles also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Cumberland's record now sits at 11-6. As for Arcola, they picked up their first home win, bumping their record up to 2-12.
Arcola suffered a grim 20-10 defeat to Cumberland when the teams last played back in April of 2025. Can the Purple Riders avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
