Hartford is 9-1 against Slinger since May of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Orioles will take on the Owls at 5:00 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Hartford comes in on seven and Slinger on eight.
On Wednesday, Hartford earned a 4-1 victory over West Bend East.
Joe Landgraf
| 04/30/25 vs West Bend East | 2 |
| 04/23/25 @ Port Washington | 1 |
| 04/17/25 vs West Bend West | 1 |
| 04/11/25 @ Kettle Moraine | 0 |
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.
Meanwhile, it may have taken ten innings to finish the job, but Slinger ultimately got the result they hoped for on Wednesday. They skirted past West Bend West 8-7.
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. Chase Leverance also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Hartford's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-4. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Slinger, their record now sits at 9-1.
Hartford beat Slinger 10-6 in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Will the Orioles repeat their success, or do the Owls have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
