The Von Steuben Panthers will head out on the road to square off against the Lincoln Park Lions at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Von Steuben has four straight victories, Lincoln Park has six straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
It was a proper cat-fight when Von Steuben duked it out with Chicago Academy on Wednesday. The Panthers put the hurt on the Cougars with a sharp 19-1 win. The result was nothing new for the Panthers, who have now won seven matches by ten runs or more so far this season.
Sophia Hernandez was a standout: she got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, four stolen bases, and four runs. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season. Skye Rojek was another key player, going a perfect 4-for-4 with six stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs.
They weren't the only ones working in the home run department: Von Steuben lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've posted since back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, Lincoln Park came up short against Niles North on Saturday and fell 8-5.
Eleanor Funke made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two stolen bases and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Lindsey Shraiberg, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Lincoln Park's defeat dropped their record down to 3-8. As for Von Steuben, they now have a winning record of 7-6.
Von Steuben's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's game. The Panthers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 13.2 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Lincoln Park, though, as they've been averaging only 1.4 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Von Steuben continue to outrun the ball?
Von Steuben suffered a grim 15-0 defeat to Lincoln Park in their previous matchup back in April of 2023. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
