By Tori Zalewski
JOLIET, IL – The Joliet Slammers secured the series victory, defeating the Mississippi Mud Monsters 8-3 in the rubber match at Slammers Stadium.
Joliet wasted no time, plating two runs in the opening inning before adding two more in the second to build an early 4-0 advantage. Ian Battipaglia delivered a two-run single in the second after Tyler Cerny doubled and Kadon Morton reached base to set up the scoring opportunity.
The Slammers continued to add on throughout the evening. Cam Suto extended the lead with a solo home run in the fifth, followed by Blake Berry with an RBI double in the sixth to make it 6-1.
Joliet put the game out of reach in the eighth, scoring two more runs. After a pair of walks put runners in position, a passed ball allowed one run to score before Jackson Valera added an RBI single to cap the Slammers’ eight-run performance.
Ryan Daly turned in a strong start on the mound, holding Mississippi scoreless through the first three innings while helping Joliet build its early lead. The bullpen preserved the advantage over the final three innings, with Casey O’Dell recording the final outs to secure the series-clinching victory.
The Slammers will look to carry their momentum into their next series against the Florence Y’alls tomorrow at Slammers Stadium.
