Heritage is 0-3 against Arcola since April of 2022 but things could change on Monday. The Hawks will take on the Purple Riders at 4:30 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Heritage took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Cerro Gordo/Bement, sneaking past 3-2. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Hawks as it put an end to their four-game losing streak.
Anthony Happ
| 04/10/25 vs Cerro Gordo/Bement | 1 |
| 04/07/25 @ Argenta-Oreana | 2 |
| 04/03/25 vs Oakwood | 1 |
| 03/27/25 @ Fisher | 1 |
| 03/24/25 vs Georgetown-Ridge Farm/Chrisman | 1 |
Anthony Happ spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on four hits and racked up 16 Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
Meanwhile, Arcola strolled into their game on Saturday with a perfect record and they left with the same. They never let Martinsville get on the board and left with a 30-0 win. That 30 run margin sets a new team best for the Purple Riders this season.
Caiden Helmuth and DJ Stevens were a major factor no matter where they played. Throwing, Helmuth struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and only one walk). Meanwhile, Stevens tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in strikeouts (five). At bat, Helmuth went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs and four RBI, while Stevens scored three runs while going 1-for-4.
In other batting news, Brody Phillips was a standout: he scored five runs and stole a base while getting on base in five of his six plate appearances. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in RBI (four). Another player making a difference was Jayden Henson-Stice, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with three runs, four RBI, and one stolen base.
Arcola pushed their record up to 7-0 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.2 runs over those games. As for Heritage, the victory was their first at home , bumping their record up to 2-8.
Heritage might still be hurting after the 13-0 loss they got from Arcola in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Hawks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
