Post by Homer Hawks Site Administrator on Jun 9, 2008 10:56:58 GMT -5
Super finish for coach and players
Retiring Eeten leads Mizuno Red to title; Cubs legend hands out medals
By LONNIE SCHWINDENHAMMER
of the Journal Star
Posted Jun 08, 2008 @ 07:17 PM
EAST PEORIA —
Harry Eeten won in his last game, Greg Easter coached two more, and each of the Super 60 softball all-stars received their medals from a bat-and-ball legend Sunday at EastSide Centre.
Eeten coached the Mizuno Red team to two victories and the Super 60 title. The 66-year old won't be back for a sixth season as head coach at Tremont.
"It's nice to coach when you've got all the talent we had,'' said Eeten, whose team included his granddaughter, Turks shortstop Brittany Uhlman. "It's a nice way to go out.''
In a 6-3 title-game win over a White team coached by Easter, who's retired from Illinois Valley Central, Metamora's Jordan Reynolds beat out an infield hit in the third inning. She scored what ended up being the winning run on a double by Lauren McNulty of Downers Grove North. Stephani Schafer of Illini Bluffs followed with a two-run single to put the Red up 4-1.
Reynolds had three hits for the Olivet Nazarene-bound Redbird. She was 4-for-6 on the day.
"I liked seeing all the different pitchers,'' Reynolds said. "It's a nice way to end high school on a good note.''
McNulty hit a solo home run in the top of the second inning to tie the score. The Butler University-bound third baseman was the event's MVP.
In the Red's 2-1 win over the Gray in one semifinal, Palatine's Caitlin Carpenter had a two-run single in the sixth inning off Kaci Ellefritz of Illini West. The Gray, coached by Leanne Bonifas of Class 3A state champion Limestone, had two scoreless innings from her own Lindsay Hufeld. The Limestone No. 2 pitcher and left fielder scattered two harmless hits.
"It was nice to be able to throw at this level one more time,'' said Hufeld, headed to Illinois Central College.
Also for the Gray, Morton's Keegan Ryan had the assist and East Peoria catcher Jessica Clark had the putout on a play at the plate in the a semifinal.
In the Gray's 5-0 loss to the Blue in the third-place game, Rockridge's Liz Watkins had the assist and Ryan the put-out on a caught stealing against St. Joseph-Ogden's Lindsey Barron, the state's all-time stolen base leader.
It was the start of a big week for Ryan, who registers for classes today at Bradley. She'll play in the women's state amateur golf event Tuesday in Springfield.
"I'm all golf now," Ryan said. "It was great to play softball one last time."
Ashley Hunter of Metamora had two doubles on the day for the Blue. Her second drove in a run and capped the scoring in the third-place win over Gray.
"The fun part was playing with all the different kids,'' said Hunter, headed to St. Xavier.
In the White's semifinal win over the Blue, Brooke Landau of Brimfield/Elmwood started and allowed just an unearned run in three innings.
Washington's Sara Hamilton had two hits. Lauren Bergstresser of Richwoods hit a double to the fence. Christine Russell of Illini Bluffs was aboard for a three-run home run by Moline's Meg Schroeder.
"I told Bob (Sakamoto) he had the Red team stacked,'' the White's Easter said about the event chairman. "It was a lot of fun.''
The icing on the cake for all the players was having their participation medals presented by legendary Chicago Cubs player Billy Williams. He was there to watch his granddaughter, Nikki Simpson of Glen Ellyn Glenbard South.
Williams said his high school in Mobile, Ala., didn't have baseball. He first learned how to hit by playing fast-pitch softball.
"I grew up playing softball,'' Williams said. "That's how I learned how to play.''
Reynolds and Olympia's Katie Peek (Gray) were named to the 11-player all-tournament
Retiring Eeten leads Mizuno Red to title; Cubs legend hands out medals
By LONNIE SCHWINDENHAMMER
of the Journal Star
Posted Jun 08, 2008 @ 07:17 PM
EAST PEORIA —
Harry Eeten won in his last game, Greg Easter coached two more, and each of the Super 60 softball all-stars received their medals from a bat-and-ball legend Sunday at EastSide Centre.
Eeten coached the Mizuno Red team to two victories and the Super 60 title. The 66-year old won't be back for a sixth season as head coach at Tremont.
"It's nice to coach when you've got all the talent we had,'' said Eeten, whose team included his granddaughter, Turks shortstop Brittany Uhlman. "It's a nice way to go out.''
In a 6-3 title-game win over a White team coached by Easter, who's retired from Illinois Valley Central, Metamora's Jordan Reynolds beat out an infield hit in the third inning. She scored what ended up being the winning run on a double by Lauren McNulty of Downers Grove North. Stephani Schafer of Illini Bluffs followed with a two-run single to put the Red up 4-1.
Reynolds had three hits for the Olivet Nazarene-bound Redbird. She was 4-for-6 on the day.
"I liked seeing all the different pitchers,'' Reynolds said. "It's a nice way to end high school on a good note.''
McNulty hit a solo home run in the top of the second inning to tie the score. The Butler University-bound third baseman was the event's MVP.
In the Red's 2-1 win over the Gray in one semifinal, Palatine's Caitlin Carpenter had a two-run single in the sixth inning off Kaci Ellefritz of Illini West. The Gray, coached by Leanne Bonifas of Class 3A state champion Limestone, had two scoreless innings from her own Lindsay Hufeld. The Limestone No. 2 pitcher and left fielder scattered two harmless hits.
"It was nice to be able to throw at this level one more time,'' said Hufeld, headed to Illinois Central College.
Also for the Gray, Morton's Keegan Ryan had the assist and East Peoria catcher Jessica Clark had the putout on a play at the plate in the a semifinal.
In the Gray's 5-0 loss to the Blue in the third-place game, Rockridge's Liz Watkins had the assist and Ryan the put-out on a caught stealing against St. Joseph-Ogden's Lindsey Barron, the state's all-time stolen base leader.
It was the start of a big week for Ryan, who registers for classes today at Bradley. She'll play in the women's state amateur golf event Tuesday in Springfield.
"I'm all golf now," Ryan said. "It was great to play softball one last time."
Ashley Hunter of Metamora had two doubles on the day for the Blue. Her second drove in a run and capped the scoring in the third-place win over Gray.
"The fun part was playing with all the different kids,'' said Hunter, headed to St. Xavier.
In the White's semifinal win over the Blue, Brooke Landau of Brimfield/Elmwood started and allowed just an unearned run in three innings.
Washington's Sara Hamilton had two hits. Lauren Bergstresser of Richwoods hit a double to the fence. Christine Russell of Illini Bluffs was aboard for a three-run home run by Moline's Meg Schroeder.
"I told Bob (Sakamoto) he had the Red team stacked,'' the White's Easter said about the event chairman. "It was a lot of fun.''
The icing on the cake for all the players was having their participation medals presented by legendary Chicago Cubs player Billy Williams. He was there to watch his granddaughter, Nikki Simpson of Glen Ellyn Glenbard South.
Williams said his high school in Mobile, Ala., didn't have baseball. He first learned how to hit by playing fast-pitch softball.
"I grew up playing softball,'' Williams said. "That's how I learned how to play.''
Reynolds and Olympia's Katie Peek (Gray) were named to the 11-player all-tournament