Wild Things can’t protect lead, lose opener
CRESTWOOD, Ill. – The 2026 Frontier League season started much like last year did for the Wild Things.
For the second consecutive year, Washington opened at Windy City and was unable to protect a late-innings lead before losing.
Victor Cerny had a three-run double in the seventh inning and Michael Sandle hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth as Windy City rallied for a 6-3 win over the Wild Things on Thursday night at Ozinga Field.
Washington forged a 3-0 lead that it took into the seventh. Jeff Liquori hit two solo home runs and starting pitcher Zach Kirby allowed one hit over five shutout innings. Kirby did not walk a batter and struck out six. He allowed only one baserunner.
The ThunderBolts rallied in the seventh against reliever Zander Sechrist, loading the bases with one out before Cerny hit his three-run double to the gap in left centerfield that tied the score.
In the eighth, Sandle hit a run-scoring double down third-base line off Kelvin Perez (0-1) that put Windy City ahead, 4-3. Carolos Pena added a two-run single off Tyler Davis to give the ThunderBolts a 6-3 lead.
The Wild Things had six hits, including an RBI single by Andrew Czech in the third inning. Four Windy City pitchers combined to strike out 16 Washington batters.
In another Frontier League opener, three Evansville pitchers – Grif Hughes, Nolan Thebiay and Junior Cerda – combined on a no-hitter in the Otters’ 5-0 win over the Florence Y’alls at Bosse Field.