The Joliet Junior College men’s baseball team has reached the midpoint of its season and is now facing a challenging road ahead in it’s pursuit of postseason goals.
The Wolves’ current record is 12-18 following a doubleheader against Carl Sandburg College, and the team strives to turn the tide around.
A reason for the Wolves’ early struggles this season was due to an injury bug. With key players missing games, the Wolves experienced a stretch where they lost three or more games in a row on three separate occasions.
“I think the biggest factor in the team’s recent performance not being where we want to be is our injury rate,” said catcher Max Miller. “It’s just simply too high right now.”
The Wolves, while only having won 12 games this season, have won nine of them at home compared to the three on the road. Miller credits familiarity around the dugout as a key to success.
“It’s just it just is a different sense of comfortability than being on the road,” Miller said. “I think it’s pretty simple: you’d rather be in your backyard than somewhere else.”
The Wolves’ hitting has been a bright spot. JJC has scored in double figures in their last three games and have done it a total of eight times this season.
“We know that we are a great hitting team,” Miller said. “We will swing it really well, and we’re going to continue to swing it,” Miller said. “If our team turns it around, it’s going to be because our pitching improves towards the end of the year. It’s pretty simple there,” Miller said.
Miller has faith that they can pull this season around and make it one to remember.
“I have no doubt that we’re going to win a regional this year,” Miller said. “I know the other teams in the conference [know], and I know what we’re capable of.”
