The York Dukes will square off against the Downers Grove North Trojans at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Having struggled with four defeats in a row, York turned things around against Proviso East on Saturday. They never let the Pirates get on the board and left with a 10-0 victory. The Dukes not only won on Saturday, but they posted their biggest win since April 23rd (when they won 16-6).
Nathan Rickenbrode
| 05/17/25 @ Proviso East | 5 |
| 05/12/25 vs Oak Park-River Forest | 1 |
| 05/08/25 @ Glenbard West | 1 |
| 05/05/25 @ Glenbard West | 1 |
| 05/03/25 @ Lane Tech | 1 |
| + 2 more games |
Nathan Rickenbrode looked comfortable as he tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, he posted five strikeouts, the most he's had since back in April.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Luke Pieczynski, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April. Evan Mendiola was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI.
York was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .462. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Downers Grove North got the win against Berwyn/Cicero Morton on Saturday by a conclusive 12-4. The win continues a trend for the Trojans in their matchups with the Mustangs: they've now won six in a row.
Ryan Noonan looked comfortable as he pitched four innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Downers Grove North got a massive performance out of Sean Cabaj, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That home run marked the first that Cabaj has launched this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Brady Schallmoser, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Downers Grove North pushed their record up to 24-6 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games. As for York, their victory bumped their record up to 19-9.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. York has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Downers Grove North struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
York was able to grind out a solid win over Downers Grove North in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, winning 6-2. Do the Dukes have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Trojans turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
