Dwight handles Serena as schools take in the bright lights of Slammers Stadium

JOLIET – The final result of Wednesday night’s baseball game between Dwight and Serena wasn’t too hard to predict. The Trojans entered the game with as many wins as the Huskers had losses, so the 5-1 final score in favor of Dwight didn’t take anyone by surprise.

What Wednesday night was for both programs, however, was the opportunity to take in the lights of Duly Health and Care Field.

No, it’s not Wrigley or whatever the White Sox are calling their stadium now (Rate Field, for those wondering). Still, the home of the Joliet Slammers fits just over 6,000 people and hosts the IHSA Class 3A and Class 4A state championships.

The entire population of Dwight is just over 4,000, while the enrollment for Serena High is less than 200.

“This was a real nice experience,” Dwight coach Jerry McDowell said. “I coached here with the Slammers for three years, so it’s nice to come back. It’s about a 45-50 minute drive from Dwight, but it’s a great experience for a 1A school to play in a major complex like this.”

Luke Gallet (3 for 4, three RBIs) and Owen Dunlap (2 for 3, two runs, one RBI) led the Trojans’ offense. McDowell said there were some nerves for the team given the setting, but Gallet was cool as could be after the game.

“Fortunately enough we got the opportunity to do this a couple of years ago for the first time,” Gallet said. “That took some of the pressure off having already been here.”

Don’t get it twisted, though. The senior still soaked in the experience.

“We love coming here,” he said. “It’s a game that’s circled on our schedule for a reason. It was an awesome experience, and we’re appreciative for it. It feels unreal getting to play in a big stadium like this.”

Even in the loss, Serena coach Jeremy Foreman was all smiles talking about the experience for his team.

“It was so fun to play in this kind of environment,” he said. “This stadium is a beautiful facility. We were here last year and the kids had a blast, so we decided to come out and do it again. It was just awesome. There’s nothing like.”

As for the game itself, Dwight (10-6) managed to get on the board with just the second at-bat of the game when Gallet’s RBI single scored Dunlap. After Gallet drove in Dunlap again in the second, Serena scored its lone run of the night on an RBI triple by Beau Raikes to score Tucker Whiteaker, shaving the deficit to 2-1.

Offensively, it was all Trojans after that as they scored two runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to wrap up the victory.

Wyatt Statler was 2 for 3 with a run scored for the Trojans, but McDowell emphasized the performances of his two pitchers. Jake Wilkey (three strikeouts, two hits allowed in three innings) and Evan Cox (one hit, six strikeouts in four innings) were both efficient on the mound.

“We threw two guys tonight that have seldom thrown this year,” McDowell said. “The pitchers threw strikes tonight, which was nice, and we got a run early, which was key for us.”

Aside from Raikes and Whiteaker, Nolan Muffler was the only other Husker to get a hit. With just one senior on the team, Serena (2-10) is looking to build and grow the program for the future.

“The biggest Achilles’ heel for us all season has been our ability to throw strikes,” Foreman said. “Our defense, I thought, was really solid and Dwight is a very good hitting lineup. I started seven underclassmen, so we’re learning, we’re improving each and every day, but that’s kind of just where we’re at, at this point of the season.”