Wilmington is a perfect 10-0 against Herscher since May of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Monday. The Wildcats will square off against the Tigers at 4:30 p.m. Both teams are coming into the match red-hot, with Wilmington sitting on three straight wins and Herscher on nine.
Wilmington had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the ten-run drubbing they dealt Gardner-South Wilmington on Friday. The Wildcats put the hurt on the Panthers with a sharp 10-0 victory. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Wildcats considering their two-run performance the game before.
Ryan Kettman and Cooper Holman made a big impact no matter where they played. On the mound, Kettman struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Holman struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and not a single walk). Kettman has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than two hits in six consecutive appearances. At the plate, Kettman scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3, while Holman scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-4. Kettman has become a key player for Wilmington: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 4-5 otherwise.
Lucas Rink
| 04/11/25 vs Gardner-South Wilmington | 2 |
| 04/01/25 @ Reed-Custer | 2 |
| 03/21/25 vs Prairie Central | 2 |
| 04/10/25 vs Manteno | 1 |
| 04/08/25 @ Manteno | 1 |
| + 3 more games |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lucas Rink, who scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. He is becoming a predictor of Wilmington's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 4-5 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Dierks Geiss, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances.
Wilmington hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Gardner-South Wilmington struck out 12 times.
Meanwhile, Herscher's hitters rose to the challenge against a Rockets pitching crew that boasted an average of only 3.25 runs allowed on Saturday. The Tigers came out on top against Roanoke-Benson/Lowpoint-Washburn by a score of 13-8.
Alec Nicholos made a splash no matter where he played. He tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Nicholos was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with five RBI, two runs, and two doubles. Those five RBI gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Tanner Jones was a standout: he scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-5. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April of 2024. Mason Roberts also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Herscher pushed their record up to 12-1 with the win, which was their eighth straight on the road dating back to last season. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Wilmington, their record now sits at 7-5.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. Wilmington has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Herscher struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Wilmington beat Herscher 5-1 when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Do the Wildcats have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Tigers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
