Baseball

Chicago Heights, Ill. – July 21, 2022 – “The craziest game I have ever played. That was number one for the craziest, most radical outcome I have ever seen.”

That is what Joliet’s Anthony Stellato had to say about a game that combined for a season-high in The Northern League 43 runs between the Generals and the Panthers. 

Joliet was able to take down Crestwood by a final of 23-20 in seven innings. This sets a franchise record for runs in a game for the Joliet Generals and marks the first time they have scored 20 or more runs in a game. It was also the Crestwood Panthers record for most runs scored in a game and most runs allowed in a game.

It was a game to remember at Marian Catholic High School, but through the first three innings, the score was only 3-2 Generals. Then came the fifth inning where Joliet put up a nine spot. It was a big day for numerous Generals hitters because every single player in the lineup reached base twice and also had a hit. 

The top three batters for Joliet were Diego Munoz, Anthony Stellato and Michael Gould who all had three hits, and Brennan Fisher in the cleanup spot had a four-hit day. The first four in the lineup combined for 14 RBIs. 

“I saw the ball pretty well and was hitting it hard and good things were coming out of that,” Munoz said. 

However, just when it looked like it was going to be out of reach early, Crestwood climbed all the way back with a 14-run bottom of the fifth. That put the Panthers ahead by a run which the Generals were quickly able to get back in the sixth inning. But once again the Panthers answered with three runs to regain the lead. 

With the sun nearly setting the game was shortened to just seven innings. After the first out of the seventh was recorded Joliet got on base courtesy of a double by Christian Seegers who played with the Generals last year and started his first game of the season today. 

After Seegers, Joliet drew three consecutive walks. That set up a bases-loaded situation down 20-19 with one out. Anthony Stellato was able to come through with a ball that took a funky hop on the infield and went into the right-center field gap for a bases-clearing double. That gave Joliet the lead back and they tacked on another run to go up three. 

“I went up to bat thinking put a ball in play because today was one of those days where anything can happen,” Stellato said. “Thankfully when I was up with the bases juiced, I hit a ball pretty hard on the ground that could have been a double play but it took a hop like it has before. Baseball gods were on my side today for sure.”

But just as it looked like the Panthers could get back into it in the bottom of the seventh with the tying run up at the plate, Max Peters got a strikeout and pop out to secure the wild victory. 

“Field goal at the end won it,” Manager Joe Silva said.

The Generals look to keep on scoring as they take on the Northwest Indiana Oilmen on Friday at Oil City Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m and the broadcast will be available on Facebook Live.