Wild Walk off Sends Slammers in the Right Direction

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FL Joliet Slammers

Wild Walk off Sends Slammers in the Right Direction

June 12, 2025 - Frontier League (FL)
Joliet Slammers News Release


JOLIET, IL - Blake Berry had been here before. On May 26th to be exact. Same pitcher, similar circumstances. On that day, he hit a two run single to give the Slammers a 10-7 lead. Today the stakes were much higher.

Today, he once again faced Mississippi Mud Monsters (14-15) pitcher Gage Bihm. Only this time, the bases were loaded in the bottom of the ninth, Berry had a chance to end the Slammers losing streak in the most exciting way possible. A walk off.

For Joliet (14-14), it wasn't surprising that they were in this position. It had all the ingredients included in most of the Slammers recent games. A tense pitchers duel, plenty of chances for each offense to break through, and a nail biting finish.

Slammers stalwart Zach Westcott dueled the Mud Monsters' Brian Williams, with each starter allowing just two runs. Both bullpens went into the ninth preserving the 2-2 tie.

As sun streaked skies gave way to a uniform navy backdrop, deep into the late innings of game two in the series, everything hung in the balance.

The odds were stacked against Joliet, just 4-10 in games when they scored three or fewer runs. Mississippi, on the other hand, was 4-2 in one run games.

This had been the story for the entire homestand: The pitching keeps the Slammers in the game but the offense can't find the big hit.

The Slammers left six runners in scoring position yesterday. Today, going into the ninth inning, the total was six again.

In the top of the ninth, Mississippi had the first chance to break through. With a runner on first and nobody out, Angus Stayte pierced a ball toward left field, toward Blake Berry.

The Slammers outfielder left his feet, twirling through the air, sticking his glove up in a desperate attempt to pull it down. And as his feet reunited with solid ground, the ball was tucked away in his mitt.

The rest of the Mud Monsters went down in order. 2-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Antonio Valdez was supposed to have the day off. But after being called upon to pinch hit in the seventh, he remained in the game and came up to bat for a second time with a runner on first and one out in the bottom of the ninth.

Valdez and Bihm seemed to battle forever. With each successfully warded off foul ball, the Slammers dugout grew louder. Valdez seemed to grow more and more confident, if that's even possible in such a setting.

Then, with one smooth swing, he split the third baseman and shortstop. McArthur, the game winning run, stood at second. The seventh runner to reach scoring position.

Braylin Marine followed by chopping a ball towards first base. Not a sacrifice bunt, but one that essentially served the same purpose. With first baseman Nick Hassan pinned at the bag, Bihm tried to snowcone the ball in his glove and flip it over, but only succeeded in pushing it a few inches forward. Not in time.

With the intensity and drama reaching a zenith, the loudspeakers blared out Justin Timberlake's Rock Your Body. Maybe not the most fitting song for the moment, but either way, Blake Berry's walkup music serenaded the Joliet crowd with the bases loaded and one out.

"I kind of had this idea about what he wanted to do," said Berry, crediting his earlier at bat against Bihm from weeks ago. "But in all honesty, I'm struggling really bad, so in that situation, I'm just trying to put the ball in play."

Almost any kind of ball in play would do. With a big swing, he popped a ball straight up and it remained in the field of play. The crowd fell silent, but the next noise to be heard was not the pop of the ball in the catcher's mitt. It was the thud of the ball hitting the turf.

Granted a second opportunity, Berry put the next pitch in play again. This time, a hard hit ground ball at first base. Fielding practice. Reel it in and throw it home. Go to extra innings. Simple.

But nothing's that easy in the ninth inning.

Hassan snapped it up in his glove and fired home for the forceout. The ball bounced a foot or two in front of the catcher. He was powerless to do anything else but watch. It skipped right by and ricocheted off the backstop a dozen feet away.

Liam McArthur slid into home and the Slammers poured out of the dugout. Finally, the losing streak was over. Finally, the clutch moment the Slammers had been chasing for days had arrived.

The Slammers hope to win the series on Throwback Thursday. First pitch is at 6:35 PM.

For information on season tickets, premium suites or group outings, please visit the Slammers' official website at www.jolietslammers.com.

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Frontier League Stories from June 12, 2025


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