Hampshire hasn't had much luck against Central recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Whip-Purs will head out on the road to square off against the Rockets at 4:30 p.m. Hampshire will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
Hampshire had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 15-run drubbing they dealt Crossroads Christian on Thursday. The Whip-Purs blew past the CRU 18-3. Considering the Whip-Purs have won 11 matchups by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Joseph Rodriguez
| 05/08/25 vs Crossroads Christian | 2 |
| 04/22/25 vs Prairie Ridge | 1 |
| 04/15/25 vs McHenry | 1 |
| 04/11/25 vs Jacobs | 2 |
| 04/01/25 vs Wheaton North | 0 |
| 03/27/25 vs Larkin | 2 |
Joseph Rodriguez looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Jonathan Alexander, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs, three RBI, and one double. Those two hits gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Carter Jones, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Prairie Ridge typically has all the answers at home, but on Wednesday Central proved too difficult a challenge. They had just enough and edged out the Wolves 2-1.
Central's win was truly a team effort as five different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Connor Finn, who went 1-for-4 with one triple and one run. That triple marked the first that Finn has hit this season. Jake Johnson was another, going 3-for-4 with one double.
Hampshire pushed their record up to 21-7 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.7 runs over those games. As for Central, their record now sits at 14-11.
Hampshire came up short against Central in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, falling 4-1. Can the Whip-Purs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
