By Ed Muniz-Photos by Lauren Gray
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Joliet— Speed, it can make the difference in the world of sports.
For an individual athlete, it provides a significant competitive advantage. It allows them to outmaneuver opponents, react quickly to situations and gain an edge in various aspects of the game.
A faster, quicker baseball athlete can get to a ball or a base faster, make quicker decisions and utilize explosive power more effectively.
When the 13U Illinois Wolves visited the Illinois Premier 13U on April 14 in Joliet, the Wolves displayed that competitive edge with speed throughout their four-inning shorten game, leading to a Run Rule victory, 13-3 and elevating their season record to 10-1.
Appearance wise, the Wolves ooze confidence. They’re a loose team of players that know what they’re there to do. They aren’t cocky or mouthy, but they are and know they are a talented group. This is a team that has a sole purpose each time out, and that’s to do their best and to WIN!
Right from the get-go, the Wolves were a track team circling the bases. Base-to-Base, whenever a Wolves player reached base, they were off stealing the next one.
It appeared there was a pre-discussed effort to show their team speed on the bases.
The cold weather may have also been a key reason for being so active on the bases, trying to quickly end the game by scoring as many runs as possible with runners in scoring position.
“We came here and took advantage of the battery,” said Coach Brandin Muniz. “We saw a lefty catcher and a righty pitcher and ran the bases. We have the speed to steal many bases and get in scoring positions which scored when we put the ball in play.”
Fred Sackley led of the game with a walk and soon, was standing at third, stealing both second and third base. His speed easily outran any throw from the Premier catcher.
Six bases were stolen by Sackley, Payton Swartzendruber, Christian Slazak, Graham Johnson and Johnny Burke in the first inning, resulting in five runs being scored by the Wolves to open the game.
Errors and walks also saw the Wolves be opportunistic. The five runs were scored on just a solo hit by Brady Madden in the inning.
Offensively, the Wolves managed to plate 13 runs with a strong wind blowing in their face.
Spraying eight hits over the shortened game, the Wolves were led by Swartzendruber and Slazak each collecting a pair of hits with Slazak also powering a double to the game stats.
Others grabbing hits also included singles by Sackley, Griff Sinkovich and Johnson.
Team speed has also produced many runs over 12 games. Averaging just over 13-runs a game, the Wolves are getting on base at an incredible clip.
This game saw the top five batters in the lineup score 11 of the 13 runs in the game with Jackson Martin scoring three times to lead the Wolves and Sackley, Swartzendruber, Johnson and Slazak each scoring twice. Julien Duque and Auggie Ruffolo scored once each.
Slazak led the Wolves RBI effort, scoring four. Others gathering RBI’s included Matthew Wiskowski and Brady Madden each with two and Johnson and Sinkovich with one each.
Although the Wolves were comfortably ahead, they weren’t perfect, and it came to a head as Premier was batting in the third inning.
Sending eight batters to the plate, they managed to score twice while also leaving the bases loaded.
The Wolves had some miscues both in the infield and the outfield. Plays that looked like sure outs, never happened, extending innings. Whether communication or lack of effort, the Wolves weren’t their usual defensive selves.
When Sackley finally got the third out over to Slazak at first, A frustrated Coach Grant Johnson had seen enough and addressed the whole team outside the dug out with some strong words in a vociferate way.
The Wolves responded by plating four runs on four hits in what turned out to be their final at-bats of the game.
Payton Swartzendruber closed out the game on the mound and coaxed a pop-up to shortstop Sinkovich and then two strikeouts for the 13-3 win.
On the mound. Starting Pitcher’ Graham Johnson was very good striking out seven in three innings and allowing two earned runs of the three scored by the host.
With 12 stolen bases in the game and 13 runs scored on 8 hits, there were many opportunities to score because of the Wolves’ team speed. Throw in a nine strikeouts effort by Wolves pitching in four innings, that makes it difficult for opponents to get by this Wolves team.
With this win, the Wolves stand atop of the WSBL Green Standings at 2-0 and will look to continue to throttle league opponents on April 17, hosting the Lombard Lightning at 7:45PM in Lisle at Community Park.
