A feisty cat fight will be fought as Wilmington Wildcats take on Joliet West Tigers at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Wilmington will be strutting in after a win while Joliet West will be coming in after a loss.
Wilmington took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They never let Prairie Central get on the board and left with a 10-0 victory. The Wildcats not only won on Friday, but they posted their biggest win since May 7, 2024.
Ryan Kettman made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Kettman was even better at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing three bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in May of 2024.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Zach Ohlund, who fired off two home runs, three runs, and three RBI while going 3-for-3. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in May of 2024. Lucas Rink was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
Wilmington always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .588. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Prairie Central only posted an OBP of .421.
Meanwhile, Joliet West scored first but ultimately less than Rochester in their matchup on Saturday. They fell 10-7 to the Rockets. The Tigers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Wilmington's win was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 1-2. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.8 runs over those games. As for Joliet West, they now also have a losing record of 1-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Wilmington has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Joliet West struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.3 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Wilmington couldn't quite get it done against Joliet West in their previous meeting back in March of 2024 as they fell 8-5. Will Wilmington have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
