WILMONT -- The Wilmont Cardinals amateur baseball team added a pair of Hadley pitchers to its roster Monday as the club heads into a five-game regional series with the Jackson Bulls at 7:30 p.m tonight at Butts Probst Field in Wilmont.
Luke Schneider and the youthful Tim Haberman join the Cardinals, having been drafted by the Gopher League champions following Sunday's 8-2 victory over the Pipestone A's. The additions should help the Cardinals keep their rotation fresh as Wilmont progresses further in the playoffs.
"Over a five-game series, we'll need as many strong arms as possible," Wilmont player/coach Jeff Appel said. "We have a strong staff now, but these guys will make us even stronger. Not only do these guys pitch well, but Schneider has a batting average of .393 -- which should help the offense as well."
Through 24 games, Ben Morrison posts the best pitching record for the Cards with a 6-0 record. The right hander has an ERA of 1.91 over 56 2/3 innings. Aaron Johnson, who boasts a 6-1 record, has the best ERA on the team for pitchers who have thrown more than 20 innings at 1.72. Nate Harberts (5-2), who has pitched the most innings for Wilmont (69), has an ERA of 1.96. Appel has been effective as a closer, winning twice and picking up two saves with an ERA of 0.64 in 14 innings on the hill.
Schneider's bat will add to a powerful lineup of streaky hitters that can put up some big numbers in a hurry. Jessie Schwartzer currently is second behind Ethan Noble (.366) in batting average at .361, a number that has surely risen with his weekend performance against the A's. The explosive southpaw leads the team with 13 doubles, five homers and 33 RBIs. His slugging percentage of .602 also leads the Wilmont offense.
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Aaron Johnson, who has the third highest batting average on the team (.354), leads the club in on-base percentage at .523. Cole Johnson is third on the team in RBIs (18), singles (22) and doubles (7). Josh Noble, who is second to Schwartzer in slugging percentage (.483), leads the club in stolen bases (10) and runs scored with 35.
What is of concern for the Cardinals heading into the Jackson series is the their defense. A backbone of the club in recent years, Wilmont committed 14 errors in its last six contests.
"We're going to have to play better defense as we move through the playoffs," Appel said following Sunday's game. "Jackson is a good ballclub and will take advantage of any mistakes."
In their only meeting this season, the Cardinals were defeated by the Bulls 1-0 on May 31.
In the other regional playoff series, Fox Lake -- winners of the First Nite League with an 8-7 victory over Jackson Sunday -- will face Pipestone tonight in Jackson. Pipestone was defeated by the Foxes 9-8 in a very tight game June 25.
"We're on the road to start with, but we're ready to go," Pipestone player/coach Kent Woelber said. "Fox Lake edged us earlier in the season, but it could have gone either way."
Rest assured, both series will be tight. Each club acquired two players during Monday's draft, which could provide the difference in making a long playoff run.
Playoff pairings: The Pipestone/Fox Lake and Wilmont/Jackson playoff series will have Wilmont and Fox Lake holding home-field advantage. Those two teams will host games 1, 3, and 5 (if necessary). Pipestone and Jackson, meanwhile, will host games 2 and 4 (if necessary).
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Fox Lake will hold its home games at Jackson.
