It may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but River Forest ultimately got the result they hoped for on Friday. They came out on top against the Hammond Central Wolves by a score of 12-7. The Ingots haven't had any issues with the Wolves recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Manny Mendoza
| 04/04/26 vs Bowman Academy | 3 |
| 05/08/26 @ Hammond Central | 2 |
| 04/30/26 vs Washington Township | 2 |
| 04/14/26 @ Whiting | 2 |
| 04/11/26 vs Gary West Side | 2 |
| + 6 more games |
Manny Mendoza made a splash no matter where he played. He tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Mendoza was even better at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. He is becoming a predictor of River Forest's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 4-5 when he doesn't).
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Josiah Artest, who got on base in three of his five plate appearances with three stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April. The team also got some help courtesy of Walter Jaime, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs.
River Forest's victory bumped their record up to 10-5. As for Hammond Central, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 7-10 record this season.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. River Forest will face off against Lake Station Edison at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. As for Hammond Central, they will take on Merrillville at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. The Pirates have struggled to contain batters this season (they've allowed 12.05 runs per game on average), something the Wolves will no doubt try to take advantage of.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
