WHITESTOWN, Ind. — The dreams of some young athletes from the west suburbs had to wait an extra day thanks to mother nature.

But on Thursday, Elmhurst Youth Baseball’s 12U team will get its chance to punch their ticket to South Williamsport in Indiana.

After their Great Lakes Regional Championship was rained out on Wednesday afternoon, the team will make up that contest the next day in Whitestown, Indiana. Elmhurst takes the field against Ohio at 4 p.m. central time with a victory sending them to the Little League World Series.

That will be played in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania starting on August 16.

Because of the delay, there will be a three-day gap between the last game Elmhurst played in the Great Lakes region tournament. That was Monday in which they beat Ohio 8-4, and now will face them again after they beat Kentucky in an elimination game on Tuesday.

All of this has been part of a great run for Elmhurst, who successfully worked their way through the state tournament in Illinois, beating Hinsdale for the championship on July 25. They defeated Indiana 13-1 on Saturday before their victory over Ohio on Monday and now seek one more to clinch their spot in the Little League World Series.

“I’m nervous and very excited for it,” said Elmhurst 12U player Michael Wente of the chance to play for a berth in the Little League World Series to WGN News Now on Tuesday.

That excitement for the big game got to build up for one more day thanks to mother nature.