The Wilmington Wildcats will head out to square off against the Streator Bulldogs at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Wilmington is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.9 runs per game this season.
Wilmington is probably headed into the contest with a chip on their shoulder considering Morris just ended the team's six-game winning streak on Friday. They came up short against the Redskins, falling 12-6. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Wildcats, who until this game were averaging 3.44 runs allowed.
Molly Southall was cooking despite her team's loss, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two doubles. The team also got some help courtesy of Keeley Walsh, who went 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Streator entered their tilt with Lisle on Tuesday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They blew past the Lions 8-2.
Makenna Ondrey was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 17 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 11 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
In other batting news, Caitlin Talty was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and one run. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Joyce Walkling also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Streator's record now sits at 8-17. As for Wilmington, their loss dropped their record down to 19-6.
Streator's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Wilmington has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .501. It's a different story for Streator, though, as they've only averaged .309. Will they be able to contain Wilmington's hitters?
Wilmington took their victory against Streator in their previous meeting back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 12-3 score. Will the Wildcats repeat their success, or do the Bulldogs have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
