Cooper Holman's grand slam lifts Wilmington to sweep of Herscher

Ryan Kettman also shines on the mound and at the plate for the Wildcats

Apr. 8, 2026 at 3:03am

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a baseball game, with the players and field represented through bold, angular shapes and vibrant colors that capture the energy and intensity of the sport.Wilmington's offensive explosion and Ryan Kettman's two-way performance proved too much for Herscher in a crucial conference matchup.Wilmington Today

A grand slam from Cooper Holman highlighted a six-run sixth inning for Wilmington in Tuesday's game against Herscher, as Ryan Kettman threw a gem and had three hits to lift the Wildcats to a two-game sweep of the Tigers.

Why it matters

The win gives Wilmington an early advantage in the loaded Illinois Central Eight Conference, as the Wildcats look to build on their recent success and make another deep playoff run.

The details

Wilmington's Cooper Holman hit a grand slam in the sixth inning to break open a close game, while Ryan Kettman threw five strong innings on the mound and added three hits from the leadoff spot to lead the Wildcats to an 8-1 victory over Herscher. The win completed a two-game sweep for Wilmington, who also won 13-2 in Herscher on Monday.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
  • Wilmington previously lost to Coal City on March 30, 2026.

The players

Cooper Holman

The cleanup hitter for Wilmington who hit a grand slam in the sixth inning to break the game open.

Ryan Kettman

The starting pitcher for Wilmington who threw five strong innings and also had three hits from the leadoff spot.

Tanner Jones

The starting pitcher for Herscher who had a solid outing, striking out five and walking four over four innings.

Eric Regez

The head coach of the Herscher Tigers, who praised his team's experience and said they need to continue improving each day.

Ryan Schraeger

A Wilmington player who reached base and scored in the second inning to give the Wildcats an early lead.

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What they’re saying

“It's a great feeling, especially bouncing back after a rough Coal City loss that we had (on March 30). We knew we had to come back, and if we want a chance to win conference we have to take every other game we have.”

— Ryan Kettman, Wilmington Player

“It's unreal, one of the best feelings you can feel as a human. These guys fired me up 10 times better.”

— Cooper Holman, Wilmington Player

“I think offensively we have a pretty good team, it's just a matter of time. It seemed a little sloppy early on in the game. I thought our pitching was outstanding, but something felt a little off. It was just a matter of time.”

— Matt Bushnell, Wilmington Head Coach

“We try to identify the fact that last year was the basement. We've got a lot of experience, three or four guys with three or four years on varsity, and try to use that to our advantage. But at the same time, we have to continue to keep getting better each day.”

— Eric Regez, Herscher Head Coach

What’s next

The Wildcats will look to continue their strong start in the Illinois Central Eight Conference, while the Tigers will aim to bounce back and build on their early-season success.

The takeaway

This game showcased the depth and talent of both the Wilmington Wildcats and Herscher Tigers, with the Wildcats ultimately prevailing thanks to a big sixth inning and a strong pitching performance from Ryan Kettman. The win puts Wilmington in a good position in the conference race, but Herscher has shown it has the experience to compete with the top teams.