Watseka hasn't had much luck against Milford recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Warriors will look to defend their home field against the Bearcats at 4:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Watseka came out on top against Schlarman on Friday thanks in part to the team's impressive 20-run seventh inning. The Warriors put the hurt on the Hilltoppers with a sharp 23-9 win. With that victory, the Warriors brought their scoring average up to 6.3 runs per game.
Andrew Shoemaker made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. What's more, he posted two strikeouts, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. He was even better at the plate, going 3-for-6 with four runs, five RBI, and two doubles. He has become a key player for Watseka: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 4-13 otherwise.
Seth Dirks
| 05/09/25 @ Schlarman | 3 |
| 04/29/25 @ South Newton | 2 |
| 03/18/25 vs Beecher | 2 |
| 05/07/25 @ Armstrong | 1 |
| 04/30/25 vs Herscher | 1 |
| + 2 more games |
In other batting news, Watseka got a massive performance out of Seth Dirks, who got on base in five of his six plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Dirks is becoming a predictor of the Warriors' success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 2-1 (and 5-12 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Payton Schaumburg, who went 3-for-6 with five RBI, two runs, and one triple.
Watseka kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 20 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5.1 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 contests they've averaged 8.8.
Meanwhile, Milford had just enough and edged out Fisher 10-8 on Saturday. That's two games straight that the Bearcats have won by exactly two runs.
Coy Lucht looked comfortable as he tossed 2.1 innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits.
On the hitting side, Caleb Clutteur was a standout: he went a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases, one run, and one double. Another player making a difference was Beau Wright, who went 1-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base.
The win made it two in a row for Milford and bumps their season record up to 13-14. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of two runs across that stretch. As for Watseka, their victory bumped their record up to 7-13.
Watseka beat Milford 9-6 in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Do the Warriors have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bearcats turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
