6/27/2025
By George Lucas
One day after wrapping up the Northeast Division first half title, the Johnstown Mill Rats split a double-header at the O’Fallon (MO) Hoots to officially close out the first half of the 2025 Prospect League season.
Game one was a continuation of the game originally begun in Johnstown on May 30. Rains came in the bottom of the first inning and the teams picked up where they left off with the Mill Rats at bat with two on and one out.
The Hoots built a 3-0 lead until Johnstown, the home team for game one, answered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth.
The Mill Rats then scored three in the bottom of the seventh and took a 6-3 lead.
O’Fallon could only muster one more run and Johnstown took game one 6-4.
Colton Ayres and Gustavo Gonzalez paced the Rats, each going 3-for-4 in the game.
Gabe Bryant improved to 3-2 with the win in relief. Starter John Hojnowski got a no-decision after just one inning of work. Mark Wechtenhiser pitched the middle four innings giving up three runs on three hits, walking one and striking out six.
In the seven-inning nightcap, Johnstown built a 3-0 lead scoring three runs in the second inning before allowing O’Fallon to tie the game in the third and scoring the go-ahead/winning run in the sixth.
Johnstown was limited to just five hits in the game.
Mill Rats’ starter Isaias Espiritusanto gave up three runs to the Hoots on five hits while fanning eight and walking four.
The loss went to Tom Ford (0-2) giving up the winning run on two hits, striking out two and walking none.
The Hoots’ Joey Funk (2-0) went the distance for the win allowing three runs on five hits, striking out three and walking one.
The Mill Rats end the first half of the 2025 season with a 17-9 record. That ties the team record for wins in a half that has happened twice before (2021 and 2022).
The official start to the second half of the 2025 season begins Saturday, June 28, as the Mill Rats close out the three-game series against the Hoots in O’Fallon beginning at 7:35pm ET.