River Forest hasn't had much luck against Boone Grove recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Ingots will head out to take on the Wolves at 5:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
River Forest's pitching crew heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over Westville. The victory was nothing new for the Ingots as they're now sitting on seven straight.
Manny Mendoza made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over six innings pitched. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one hit in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in two of his three plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run.
Brandon Fergerson
| 05/14/25 vs Westville | 1 |
| 05/12/25 @ Lake Station Edison | 1 |
| 05/09/25 vs Hammond Central | 1 |
In other batting news, Brandon Fergerson was a standout: he went 2-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, 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 three games he's played. Sebastian Collazo IV was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
River Forest was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .391. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .391 or higher in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Boone Grove had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Wednesday. They blew past the Bearcats 10-0.
Like River Forest, Boone Grove also got a great game from a two-way player: Javy Carrera. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 12 over five innings pitched. Those 12 strikeouts gave Carrera a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
In other batting news, Davian Carrera was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI, one triple, and one stolen base. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Tristan Wilson, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and three runs.
River Forest pushed their record up to 14-6 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Boone Grove, their record now sits at 14-5.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. River Forest has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .545. However, it's not like Boone Grove struggles in that department as they've averaged .461. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
River Forest might still be hurting after the 10-0 defeat they got from Boone Grove in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Can the Ingots avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
