Thornton hasn't had much luck against Crete-Monee recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Wildcats are taking a road trip to face off against the Warriors at 4:30 p.m. Thornton will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each matchup than the last.
Thornton's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Thursday. Everything went their way against Hansberry as they made off with a 16-0 victory. That looming 16-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Wildcats yet this season.
Lamar Dawson
| 04/17/25 vs Hansberry | 3 |
| 04/14/25 vs Gary West Side | 2 |
| 04/22/24 vs Thornridge | 2 |
| 04/12/24 vs Hansberry | 2 |
| 04/10/24 vs Thornton Fractional North | 2 |
Lamar Dawson was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. Dawson was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all three of his plate appearances with five stolen bases and three runs. Those three runs gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Thornton let Jovontae Wade and Antoine Bishop run wild. Wade got on base in all three of his plate appearances with four stolen bases, two runs, and one double, while Bishop went 1-for-2 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. Wade has become a key player for Thornton: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 2-4-1 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Edwin Salas, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
Thornton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .826. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Tinley Park hit Crete-Monee with a four-run fifth inning on Saturday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Warriors lost 10-4 to the Titans. The Warriors haven't had much luck with the Titans recently, as the team has come up short the last three times they've met.
Anthony Monegan made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one stolen base, one run, and one double. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last four times he's played. Bryce Milburn also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
Thornton now has a winning record of 5-4-1. As for Crete-Monee, they now have a losing record of 7-8.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Thornton has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .482. However, it's not like Crete-Monee struggles in that department as they've averaged .434. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Thornton suffered a grim 13-0 defeat to Crete-Monee in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Wildcats avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
