Lake Park and Wheaton North are an even 5-5 against one another since May of 2019, but likely not for long. The Lancers will welcome the Falcons at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Lake Park 3.2, Wheaton North 2.9) so any runs scored will be well earned.
On Thursday, Lake Park needed a bit of extra time to put away St. Charles East. They came out on top against the Fighting Saints by a score of 6-2. The game was the first time the Lancers have beaten the Fighting Saints on their field since May 2, 2022.
Gianna Furlano
| 04/01/25 @ East Carter | 2 |
| 04/11/25 vs South Elgin | 2 |
| 04/08/25 @ Conant | 5 |
| 04/14/25 vs Glenbard West | 5 |
| 04/30/25 @ St. Charles North | 5 |
Gianna Furlano spent all nine innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on five hits and racked up 12 Ks. Those 12 strikeouts set a new season-high mark for her.
At the plate, Gaetana Calo was excellent, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Ava Arenz, who went 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Lake Park kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as St. Charles East only managed five hits.
Meanwhile, Wheaton North waltzed into their contest on Wednesday with six straight wins... but they left with seven. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Panthers a 3-0 shutout.
The result came thanks to Hannah Wulf's shutout, as she gave up just two hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Reagan Crosthwaite, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run and two RBI.
Wheaton North's win was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 16-2. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for Lake Park, their win bumped their record up to 13-4.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lake Park hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .351. However, it's not like Wheaton North struggles in that department as they've averaged .329. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lake Park suffered a grim 7-1 defeat to Wheaton North when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Lancers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
