The Springfield Yellow Jackets will face off against the Kirkwood Cobras at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Having struggled with six defeats in a row, Springfield turned things around against Pearl-Cohn on Monday. They were the clear victors by an 11-1 margin over the Firebirds. The Yellow Jackets not only won on Monday, but they posted their biggest win since March 24th (when they won 12-1).
Kelton Hollingsworth
| 04/28/25 vs Pearl-Cohn | 7 |
| 04/21/25 @ Northeast | 3 |
| 04/19/25 @ Friendship Christian | 1 |
| 04/14/25 vs Kirkwood | 5 |
| 04/10/25 vs East Robertson | 5 |
| + 10 more games |
Kelton Hollingsworth made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in March of 2024. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two doubles, and one run.
In other batting news, Connor Reeves was incredible, going 1-for-2 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That's the most runs he has posted since back in March. Austin Tucker was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Springfield always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .621. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Kirkwood, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. Everything went their way against Todd County Central on Friday as they made off with a 12-2 victory. The win was some much needed relief for the Cobras as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak.
Cole Johnson spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on three hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Mathew Dirks, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with three stolen bases and three runs. He has become a key player for Kirkwood: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 0-15 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Peyton Deloach, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run.
Springfield's victory bumped their record up to 7-18. As for Kirkwood, their win bumped their record up to 3-15.
Springfield skirted past Kirkwood 5-4 in their previous matchup two weeks ago. Do the Yellow Jackets have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Cobras turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
