The Alleman Pioneers will square off against the Fulton Steamers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The timing is sure in Alleman's favor as the team sits on four straight wins at home while Fulton has been banged up by three consecutive losses on the road.
Alleman barely beat Bureau Valley the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Pioneers were the clear victors by an 11-1 margin over the Storm on Thursday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Pioneers considering their two-run performance the contest before.
Cael Kuster
| 05/08/25 vs Bureau Valley | 5 |
| 04/16/25 vs Geneseo | 4 |
| 04/05/25 vs Annawan-Wethersfield | 4 |
| 04/09/25 @ East Moline United | 2 |
| 04/19/24 vs Monmouth United | 2 |
Cael Kuster made a splash no matter where he played. He tossed five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in strikeouts (five). He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. 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.
In other batting news, Will Bowers was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, three runs, and one stolen base. That home run was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Gavin Awbrey, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Alleman always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .621. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, it was close, but on Thursday Fulton sidestepped East Dubuque for an 8-7 win.
Alleman is on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 21-8 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.8 runs on average over those games. As for Fulton, their win bumped their record up to 13-11.
Alleman came up short against Fulton in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, falling 5-1. Will the Pioneers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
