Valley Park is a perfect 3-0 against Lutheran North since May of 2017 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. The Hawks will square off against the Crusaders at 12:00 p.m. Valley Park will be looking to extend their current six-game winning streak.
Valley Park's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Thursday. They put the hurt on Hancock with a sharp 15-0 win. The result was nothing new for the Hawks, who have now won eight contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Blake Whitney
| 05/14/26 vs Hancock | 5 |
| 03/26/26 @ Sullivan | 3 |
| 05/07/26 @ Maplewood-Richmond Heights | 2 |
| 03/21/26 @ Pattonville | 2 |
| 05/08/26 @ Maplewood-Richmond Heights | 1 |
Blake Whitney made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in eight consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with five RBI, one triple, and one run. Those five RBI gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Evan Holmes was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. Luke Geary was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Valley Park always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .741. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Lutheran North hadn't done well against Priory recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. The Crusaders sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 14-12 victory over the Rebels.
The team relied heavily on Jace Bateman, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with four runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. He has become a key player for Lutheran North: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 4-8 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Addison Reynolds, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Valley Park's record is now 15-8. As for Lutheran North, their record now sits at 12-8.
Saturday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Valley Park hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .330. However, it's not like Lutheran North struggles in that department as they've averaged .326. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Valley Park's way against Lutheran North in their previous matchup back in May of 2025, as Valley Park made off with an 11-1 win. Will the Hawks repeat their success, or do the Crusaders have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
