Holman’s 10-Strikeout Gem, Early Offensive Eruption Power Wilmington Past Peotone

The Peotone varsity baseball team fell victim to a potent Wilmington offense and a masterful pitching performance on Monday afternoon, dropping a 15-0 conference contest on the road in a four-inning, mercy-rule decision. Wilmington’s Cooper Holman commanded the game from the mound while the Wildcats’ lineup relentlessly capitalized on early opportunities.

Wilmington set the tone immediately in the bottom of the first inning. Taking full advantage of Peotone’s defensive struggles, the Wildcats strung together hits and capitalized on fielding errors to erupt for seven early runs. Peotone committed five errors over the course of the afternoon, extending innings and allowing Wilmington to score seven unearned runs throughout the contest.

Following a scoreless second inning, the Wildcats’ offense exploded again in the bottom of the third. Wilmington sent a parade of hitters to the plate, plating another seven runs to push their advantage to a commanding 14-0. A final run in the bottom of the fourth inning brought the game to its 15-0 conclusion.

At the plate, Ryan Kettman sparked the Wilmington attack with a perfect 3-for-3 performance, scoring twice and driving in a run. Ryan Schraeger maximized his opportunities, recording a team-high three RBIs on a 1-for-1 day that also saw him draw a walk and take a pitch to earn a hit-by-pitch. Holman and Brysen Meents added two RBIs apiece to fuel the massive offensive output.

On the mound, Holman was virtually untouchable. The Wilmington junior tossed all four innings to earn the abbreviated complete-game shutout. He struck out 10 Peotone batters, issued just one walk, and allowed only a single hit to completely neutralize the Blue Devils’ lineup.

For Peotone, sophomore Kayden Derkacy provided the lone offensive bright spot. Derkacy successfully navigated Holman’s devastating stuff to break up the no-hitter, reaching base in both of his plate appearances with a single and a walk. Derkacy also took the start on the mound for the Blue Devils, battling through three innings before Devin Lynch entered in relief to record a strikeout in the final frame.

Game Summary

Score by Innings

Scoring Summary

• 1st Inning: Wilmington’s offense storms out of the gates, capitalizing on hits and defensive miscues to score seven runs. (Wilmington 7, Peotone 0)

• 3rd Inning: The Wildcats mount another massive rally, bringing seven more runs across the plate. (Wilmington 14, Peotone 0)

• 4th Inning: Wilmington tacks on a final run to seal the four-inning, mercy-rule victory. (Wilmington 15, Peotone 0)

Individual Statistics

BATTING:

• Ryan Kettman (Wilmington): 3-3, 1 RBI, 2 R

• Ryan Schraeger (Wilmington): 1-1, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 HBP

• Cooper Holman (Wilmington): 2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R

• Brysen Meents (Wilmington): 1-3, 2 RBI, 2 R

• Kayden Derkacy (Peotone): 1-1, 1 BB

PITCHING:

• Cooper Holman (Wilmington): 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K

• Kayden Derkacy (Peotone): 3.0 IP, 9 H, 14 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 1 K

• Devin Lynch (Peotone): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K