The Richmond Red Devils will head out on the road to square off against the Kokomo Wildkats at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Richmond is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.1 runs per game this season.
Richmond took a loss when they played away from home last Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They were the clear victors by a 9-0 margin over Cambridge City Lincoln. The win continues a trend for the Red Devils in their matchups with the Golden Eagles: they've now won six in a row.
Aiden McWhinney
| 05/01/25 vs Cambridge City Lincoln | 9 |
| 04/16/25 vs Muncie Central | 6 |
| 04/23/25 vs Anderson | 3 |
| 04/06/24 @ Marion | 1 |
Aiden McWhinney made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over six innings pitched. Those nine strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Richmond let Tyrel Brown and Wyatt Kier run wild. Brown went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double, while Kier went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Those two hits gave Brown a new career-high. Darwyn Roman also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Meanwhile, Kokomo gave up the first runs on Tuesday, but they didn't let that get them down. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 6-4 victory over Lawrence Central. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Wildkats as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
The team relied heavily on Harry Blake, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. He has become a key player for Kokomo: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 6-7 otherwise. Landon Gibson was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two RBI.
Kokomo's record now sits at 9-7. As for Richmond, they now have a winning record of 5-4.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Richmond has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Kokomo struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Richmond couldn't quite get it done against Kokomo in their previous meeting last Monday as they fell 3-0. Can the Red Devils avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
