On Saturday morning, No. 19 St. Charles North hosted Lake Park in game one of their three-game DuKane Conference series. St. Charles North scratched across runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings, ultimately defeating Lake Park by a score of 3-2.

With two outs and the scored tied at two in the bottom of the sixth inning, junior Fordham commit, Ryan Thiesse, came through with what turned out to be the game-winning hit. Thiesse had runners on second and third when he grounded a ball deep into the hole at shortstop. Lake Park sophomore shortstop, Chris Worcester, was able to keep the ball on the infield but did not have a play at any base and Egon Hein scored the go-ahead run for the North Stars. Hein started the rally in the sixth inning with a sharp line-drive double into the right-center gap.

Sophomore, Notre Dame commit, Nicholas DeMarco, came in from shortstop in the top of the seventh inning, to close out the game on the mound. DeMarco, went three up-three down, with two strikeouts, to preserve the 3-2 win for the North Stars. DeMarco, who is as equally talented as a position player, as he is a pitcher, sat 87-88 mph with his fastball and mixed in an advanced curveball with depth and tight spin resulting in swing-and-misses.

The North Stars (11-6) tied the game at two in the bottom of the fifth inning, thanks to a clean single up the middle by sophomore, Kevin White. White also attributed to the only other run of the game for St. Charles North when he singled in Thiesse in the bottom of the third inning, giving the North Stars the early 1-0 lead.

Lake Park (7-8) fought back with a run in the top of the fourth and one more in the fifth to take a 2-1 lead at the time. Worcester singled sharply to right field to lead off the fifth and advanced around the bases thanks to a failed pickoff of first base and later scored on a passed ball. Lake Park collected six hits in the loss. Worcester and Masen Riser led the way with two hits a piece. Riser was a perfect 2-for-2 on the day with a double and a run scored.

Both starters Andrew Jimenez (St. Charles North; 2021) and Jeremy Segreti (Lake Park; 2020) threw well in their four inning outings. Jimenez threw 56 pitches, scattered six hits, allowed two runs, one earned, struck out four and did not walk a batter. Segreti threw 69 pitches, scattered four hits, one run, none earned, struck out three and walked one. Johnny Lambert got the win out of the bullpen going two hitless innings, striking out three and walking one.

For more in-depth notes from the games - and all other games that we cover - visit the Illinois Scout Blog later.

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