By: Braeden Jones
CRESTWOOD, IL – After five previous series this season, the Joliet Slammers (5-11) have finally won their first one of the year over the Windy City ThunderBolts (8-10) in just two games at Ozinga Field on Wednesday with a 7-3 triumph.
Like yesterday’s matchup, the Slammers started the game by getting on the board. After a bases-loaded walk let Ian Battipaglia walk home from third base, a sacrifice fly ball from Braylin Marine would allow Cam Suto to score. Following that play, Nico Bermeo hit a 2-RBI double, and Joliet left the top of the 1st inning with a 4-0 lead.
The Slammers would quickly add on to their lead after a Battipaglia triple set up a sacrifice ground out from Suto to add one more run to the tally for Joliet.
The ThunderBolts found their footing to respond as a single from Victor Cerny scored Jared Beebe to give Windy City their first score of the game. James Dunlap was able to get a sacrifice ground out to score Donte Grant before the inning ended as well, bringing the Slammers lead down to 5-2 after two innings.
Marine brought Joliet’s lead back up to five runs with a 2-run homer to score himself and Blake Berry. Billy Sullivan got on base in an attempt to keep the Slammers’ momentum going, but he was left stranded as the score now showed 7-2 after the top of the 3rd inning.
Beebe looked to get the ThunderBolts going as he hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 3rd, but that was the only score Windy City could muster as the 3rd inning ended with a 7-3 score in favor of Joliet.
The next few frames featured a few hits here and there, but nothing solid enough to give either team another scored run. Six straight innings of strong pitching ended the game with the same score that was shown after the 3rd inning, which was now a 7-3 win for the Slammers.
Now with their first winning streak of the season, the Slammers will look for the series sweep against Windy City on Thursday before a few series at home. The ThunderBolts will try to avoid the sweep against Joliet at home on Thursday before another home series against the Evansville Otters.
