ROCKFORD, Ill. — The Richmond Flying Mummies (7-7) head to Rockford Monday for the first of back-to-back games against the Rivets (7-7), looking to get back on track after suffering three straight losses over the weekend.
The Mummies dropped both games on Saturday and Sunday in Kenosha, 8-1 and 9-5, respectively, after previously being undefeated against the Kingfish. Richmond held a 4-1 lead in Sunday’s game before having their plans derailed by a seven-run seventh inning from the home team. Starting pitcher Tyler Biddinger was quality from the mound, providing six innings of three-hit, one-run baseball, walking two and striking out five. Landen Fry connected on three hits including an RBI, while Jackson Thomas and Eli Bennett had two hits each and scored three combined runs.
Sunday’s results across the league shook up the standings in the Great Lakes East division, as Richmond now sits in a four-way tie for third place with Rockford, the Battle Creek Battle Jacks, and the Traverse City Pit Spitters.
Relief pitching continues to be the thorn in the side of the Mummies. Five of the team’s seven losses this season have seen the starting pitcher allow one or fewer earned runs, with the next two hurlers allowing an average of 4.2 combined scores in those same games. Additionally, in six of the seven losses, Richmond has held a lead through the first four innings.
The pitching staff have a tough task against the Rivets, a team posting the fifth-highest total runs (100) and hits (120) league-wide, with a batting average (.255) tied for sixth best as well. The charge is led by University of Arizona redshirt freshman Jackson Forbes, batting .373 (13th in the Northwoods League) with 19 hits (5th), uncorking one home run and tacking on nine RBI.
Counteracting this offensive prowess, however, is a batting order that has struck out a combined 137 times this season, tied for the second-highest mark in the league, boding well for a Flying Mummies rotation that has tossed the ninth-most Ks (134). Offense will need to be the name of the game on both sides, as Richmond and Rockford have the third and second-highest team ERAs (6.37 and 7.04), respectively.
Tasked with the daunting responsibility of taming Rockford’s batters is Brendan Murphy (0-0, 5.59 ERA), who last appeared June 2nd, a 6-5 win over the Kenosha Kingfish, allowing seven hits and four runs across five innings while striking out seven batters. Richmond’s bats will contest with Jack Kerpan (0-1, 12.46 ERA), next in the rotation following two innings of two-run (1 ER), one hit baseball June 4th in a 4-3 loss to the Kenosha Kingfish, walking four and striking out two.
First pitch from Rivets Stadium is scheduled for 7:35 PM EST. A livestream is available on FloSports.
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The Richmond Flying Mummies are a proud member of the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 32nd season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, nearly 2400 NWL alums have been drafted and over 410 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TOR), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford and World Series Champion and Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (BAL) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove, two-time Silver Slugger winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (NYM). League games are viewable live on FloSports.tv.
