The Hoopeston Cornjerkers will challenge the Oakwood Comets at 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
On Friday, Hoopeston came up short against Iroquois West and fell 6-1.
Hoopeston saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Fletcher Swartz, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one double. That double was Swartz's first of the season.
Meanwhile, Oakwood waltzed into their match on Friday with two straight wins... but they left with three. Everything went their way against the Warriors as they made off with an 11-4 win. The result was nothing new for the Comets, who have now won five contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Xander Wilson made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Oakwood is 3-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 5-7 otherwise. Wilson was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Carsen Dudley was excellent, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double. Oakwood is undefeated when Dudley posts three or more RBI, but 5-8 otherwise. Brandt Hobick was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Oakwood pushed their record up to 8-8 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Hoopeston, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost six of their last eight games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-12 record this season.
Hoopeston skirted past Oakwood 3-2 in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Cornjerkers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
