The Arcola Purple Riders will square off against the Cumberland Pirates at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Arcola gave up the first runs last Monday, but they didn't let that get them down. They put the hurt on Okaw Valley with a sharp 13-6 victory. The win continues a trend for the Purple Riders in their matchups with the Timberwolves: they've now won four in a row.
The home team had won the previous four meetings between Cumberland and Mattoon, and Cumberland kept the tradition alive. The Pirates skirted past the Greenwave 5-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Pirates have posted since May 13, 2024.
Noraa Cross was a standout: she scored two runs while going 1-for-2. Ashton Tolen was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
Cross wasn't the only one making solid contact: Cumberland kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That's a new trend for the Pirates: they were averaging 4.9 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 contests they've averaged 11.8.
Cumberland has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a massive bump to their 4-9 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Arcola, their victory bumped their record up to 5-8.
Arcola skirted past Cumberland 11-9 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Do the Purple Riders have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Pirates turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
