Slinger is on a seven-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while Hartford is on a five-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Owls will host the Orioles at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Slinger 3.4, Hartford 3.8) so any runs scored will be well earned.
On Wednesday, Slinger needed a bit of extra time to put away West Bend West. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past the Spartans 8-7. The victory continues a trend for the Owls in their matchups with the Spartans: they've now won five in a row.
Matthew Retzlaff looked comfortable as he pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, he posted three strikeouts, the most he's had since back in May of 2024.
At the plate, Grady Chvosta was excellent, getting on base in four of his six plate appearances with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Mason Johnson, who went 2-for-5 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Hartford was able to grind out a solid win over West Bend East on Wednesday, taking the game 4-1.
Joe Landgraf spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered a run (which was unearned) on three hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Brady Helms, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one stolen base. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played.
Hartford is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-4 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.2 runs over those games. As for Slinger, their win bumped their record up to 9-1.
Slinger came up short against Hartford in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, falling 10-6. Can the Owls avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
