Crete-Monee hasn't had much luck against Lincoln-Way West recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. Crete-Monee will venture away from home to square off against Lincoln-Way West at 4:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Crete-Monee's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Monday. They put the hurt on Thornridge with a sharp 15-0 win. The victory was nothing new for the Warriors as they're now sitting on four straight.
Deiker Rondon made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in two of his three plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April.
In other pitching news, Tyler Burnett looked comfortable as he struck out nine batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). He has been consistent for a while: he hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances.
Bren Milburn
| 05/15/25 @ Rich Township | 4 |
| 05/19/25 vs Thornridge | 3 |
| 05/19/25 vs Thornridge | 3 |
| 05/08/25 @ Thornwood | 3 |
| 05/05/25 @ Thornwood | 3 |
| + 18 more games |
Back at the plate, Bren Milburn was incredible, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with five stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. Crete-Monee is 14-1 when Milburn posts two or more runs, but 6-10 otherwise. Kijuan Springfield also deserves some recognition as he scored his first run of the season.
Crete-Monee always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .516. They are a perfect 10-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Herscher typically has all the answers at home, but on Monday Lincoln-Way West proved too difficult a challenge. They were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over the Tigers. The Warriors not only won on Monday, but they posted their biggest win since May 2nd (when they won 15-2).
Lincoln-Way West got a big performance out of Jackson Mansker, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Conor Essenburg, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run.
Lincoln-Way West is on a roll lately: they've won nine of their last 11 matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 23-7 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Crete-Monee, they pushed their record up to 20-11 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Crete-Monee has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .465. However, it's not like Lincoln-Way West struggles in that department as they've averaged .439. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Crete-Monee suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Lincoln-Way West when the teams last played back in May of 2023. Can Crete-Monee avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
