The Adams Central Patriots will head out to take on the Omaha Northwest Huskies at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Adams Central is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.1 runs per game this season.
Adams Central's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by a 7-0 margin over Twin River. The victory continues a trend for the Patriots in their matchups with the Titans: they've now won four in a row.
Hunter Nepple
| 04/30/25 vs Twin River | 4 |
| 04/10/25 vs Holdrege | 10 |
Hunter Nepple made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. What's more, he posted four strikeouts, the most he's had over his last two games. He was also big at the plate, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Nepple wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Jaron Johnson, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Another was Kaleb Wahlmeier, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with two RBI.
Meanwhile, after low-scoring totals in their previous seven matchup, Omaha Northwest brought some dynamite into their most recent contest. Everything went their way against Benson on Tuesday as they made off with a 16-10 win. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Huskies as it put an end to their seven-game losing streak.
Like Adams Central, Omaha Northwest also got a great game from a two-way player: Jj Schirmer. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over 3.2 innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and not a single walk). Schirmer has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one walk in six consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with three runs and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Omaha Northwest got a massive performance out of Justyse Masters, who went 2-for-5 with three stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. Masters is becoming a predictor of the Huskies' success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 3-1 (and 1-14 when he doesn't). Collin Johnston was another key player, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
Omaha Northwest was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .389. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Adams Central's record now sits at 17-6. As for Omaha Northwest, they picked up their first road win, bumping their record up to 4-15.
Adams Central's speedy runners might be the difference in Saturday's game. The Patriots have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.6 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Omaha Northwest, though, as they've been averaging only 1.3 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Adams Central continue to outrun the ball?
Adams Central took their victory against Omaha Northwest in their previous matchup back in April of 2023 by a conclusive 19-5 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Patriots since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
