The Niles North Vikings will venture away from home to take on the Ridgewood Rebels at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Niles North took a nine-run loss the last time they faced off against Evanston, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Vikings came out on top in a nail-biter against the Wildkits on Tuesday, sneaking past 3-1. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Vikings.
Mason Engstrom made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing 1.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He is becoming a predictor of Niles North's success: when he allows at most one hit the team is undefeated (and 1-3-1 when he doesn't). Engstrom was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Jacob Titsworth
| 04/01/25 vs Evanston | 11 |
| 03/24/25 @ Elk Grove | 10 |
| 03/17/25 vs St. Patrick | 7 |
| 05/23/24 @ Niles West | 5 |
| 05/09/24 @ Maine East | 4 |
| + 4 more games |
In other pitching news, Niles North got a great performance from Jacob Titsworth as he struck out 11 batters over 6.2 innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. That's the most strikeouts Titsworth has posted since back in April of 2024.
Engstrom wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Evan Lazik, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI.
While Ridgewood didn't have the best season last year (they finished 12-15), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They never let Casey County get on the board and left with a 16-0 win on Tuesday. The victory was familiar territory for Ridgewood, who have now won four games in a row.
Like Niles North, Ridgewood also got a great game from a two-way player: Kuba Jablonski. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over five innings pitched. Jablonski has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Ridgewood got a massive performance out of Angelo Vitale, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4. Owen Moore was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.
Ridgewood kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 18 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Ridgewood's record is now 6-2. As for Niles North, they now have a winning record of 4-3-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Niles North has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Ridgewood struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
