The Niles North Vikings will head out on the road to challenge the Lake Forest Scouts at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Niles North is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.9 runs per game this season.
Niles North will roll into the match after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Tuesday, then bounced right back against Maine East on Thursday. The Vikings' pitcher stepped up to hand the Blue Demons an 18-0 shutout. The win continues a trend for the Vikings in their matchups with the Blue Demons: they've now won five in a row.
Charlotte Williams
| 05/01/25 @ Maine East | 7 |
| 04/26/25 vs Lincoln Park | 4 |
| 04/11/25 @ Saint Viator | 1 |
| 04/05/25 @ Resurrection | 3 |
| 04/04/25 @ Rolling Meadows | 3 |
| 05/18/24 vs Jones | 8 |
Charlotte Williams was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out seven over five innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in May of 2024. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Amaya Kang, who went 3-for-5 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Sophia Espinoza, who earned four runs and three stolen bases.
Niles North kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Lake Forest was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their sixth straight defeat. They came up short against Highland Park, falling 10-0.
Niles North's record now sits at 9-7. As for Lake Forest, their loss dropped their record down to 2-13.
Lake Forest's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Saturday. Niles North has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.8 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Lake Forest, though, as they've been averaging only 3.3 strikeouts. Will Niles North keep running through batters, or will the Scouts buck the trend?
Everything went Niles North's way against Lake Forest in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, as Niles North made off with a 15-4 victory. Do the Vikings have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Scouts turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
