The Slinger Owls will head out to challenge the Nicolet Knights at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Slinger knows how to get runs on the board -- the squad has finished with ten runs or more in their past three matchups -- so hopefully Nicolet likes a good challenge.
Slinger came out on top against Neenah on Saturday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run fourth inning. The Owls were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over the Rockets. The result was nothing new for the Owls, who have now won nine contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Kaleb Burkel was excellent, getting on base in all three of his plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April. The team also got some help courtesy of Macay Wagner, who went 1-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Slinger hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least three batters in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Nicolet started off well but failed to capitalize on an early lead against Pewaukee. They fell 8-4 to the Pirates on Saturday.
Hayden Konczal made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games he's played. Another player making a difference was Will Sargent, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances.
Slinger's victory was their eighth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 16-3. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.4 runs over those games. As for Nicolet, their loss dropped their record down to 8-13.
Nicolet's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Slinger has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .467. It's a different story for Nicolet, though, as they've only averaged .360. Will they be able to contain Slinger's hitters?
Everything went Slinger's way against Nicolet in their previous matchup back in April, as Slinger made off with an 11-2 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Owls since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
