Lincoln-Way West was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They fell just short of the Willowbrook Warriors by a score of 10-9. Lincoln-Way West was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as Willowbrook apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in May of 2023.
Antony Vita was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he struck out six batters over 5.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Anthony Massa and Ian Hazelip did some serious damage despite the final result: Massa went 5-for-6 with four RBI, a run, and a double, while Hazelip got on base in three of his six plate appearances with three runs, a triple, and an RBI. Conor Essenburg was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-5.
Even though they lost, Lincoln-Way West didn't let batters stay on the plate for long and finished the game with 12 strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Willowbrook only tossed six.
On Willowbrook's side, Joe McNeice looked comfortable as he tossed an inning while giving up no earned runs or hits.
At the plate, Willowbrook got a big performance out of Jake Bonino, who scored two runs while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Ryan Bannon, who scored a run while going 2-for-5.
Lincoln-Way West's loss dropped their record down to 24-4. As for Willowbrook, their win was their ninth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 23-9-2.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Lincoln-Way West will square off against Plainfield North at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Lincoln-Way West is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8 runs per game this season. As for Willowbrook, they will head out on the road to face off against Glenbard West at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. Glenbard West will roll in looking for their seventh straight victory, something Willowbrook surely won't give up without a fight.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
