Boone Grove is on a five-game streak of home wins, while River Forest is on a three-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Wolves will host the Ingots at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Boone Grove barely beat Wheeler the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Wolves' pitcher stepped up to hand the Bearcats a 10-0 shutout on Wednesday. The win continues a trend for the Wolves in their matchups with the Bearcats: they've now won six in a row.
Javy Carrera
| 05/14/25 @ Wheeler | 12 |
| 04/18/25 @ Kouts | 9 |
| 05/01/25 @ Hobart | 8 |
| 04/12/25 vs Hanover Central | 7 |
| 05/08/25 @ Valparaiso | 5 |
Javy Carrera made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 12 over five innings pitched. Those 12 strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Davian Carrera, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI, one triple, and one stolen base. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in May of 2024. Tristan Wilson was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and three runs.
Boone Grove hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in five consecutive games.
Meanwhile, River Forest got the win against Westville on Wednesday by a conclusive 10-0.
Like Boone Grove, River Forest also got a great game from a two-way player: Manny Mendoza. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over six innings pitched. Mendoza has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one hit in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in two of his three plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run.
In other batting news, Brandon Fergerson was a standout: he went 2-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Sebastian Collazo IV, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Boone Grove's victory bumped their record up to 14-5. As for River Forest, their win bumped their record up to 14-6.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Boone Grove hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .352. However, it's not like River Forest struggles in that department as they've averaged .392. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Boone Grove's way against River Forest when the teams last played back in May of 2023, as Boone Grove made off with a 10-0 victory. Do the Wolves have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Ingots turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
