Lythberg in fine form for powerful Central Iowa
Prospect fans watched Kiley Lythberg throw plenty of strikeouts when she wore the Knights softball uniform from 2003 to 2007.
Prospect’s all-time leader with 641 hasn’t lost her touch. Central College in Iowa, currently 23-3 and ranked No. 5 in Division III, is now the beneficiary of Lythberg’s right arm.
The senior ace fanned a career-best 14 in a 6-hitter on Friday as Central edged St. Scholastica (Minn.) 3-2.
Lythberg then improved to 10-1 on Saturday, striking out eight in a 13-4 win over Eau Claire.
Earlier this season, Lythberg was voted the Division III national player of the week.
“Being voted (Division III national player of the week) was a great honor and I hope it is just the start of an amazing season for my team,” said Lythberg, who broke six school records while playing for coaches Brenda Martin and Karen Kanupky at Prospect. “While the award was a great honor, my teammates and I are more focused on winning the national championship.
Lythberg, who leads the Dutch pitching staff with 70 strikeouts, would love to help Central win a national crown.
“Each year we set our sights on winning the D3 national championship,” she said. “This year it seems to be even more within our grasp because of the extremely talented girls that I play with.
“Aside from the academics, the main reason that I chose Central College over a few D-I programs was for the opportunity to win a national championship.”
This season, Lythberg has also been batting.
In a recent game against Washington, Central College won 3-2 after a sacrifice bunt by Lythberg.
“I am always hoping to be in a position when the game is on the line and I need to produce,” Lythberg said. “ Coach and I talked about pushing a bunt down the first baseline and I like bunting, even out of the five hole.”
Lythberg’s effort led to the go-ahead run against a Washington team that features former Barrington standout Claire Voris (11-3, 2.17 ERA, .388 batting average for Bears).
“Washington University is a great team and I can’t say enough about Claire,” Lythberg said. “Claire and I have battled against each other since high school. I know when Claire and I match up, it will be a duel to the end. That game was no different.”
In her past three seasons at Central, Lythberg has been 10-9 as a freshman (4.53 ERA), 16-5 as a sophomore (1.57) and 19-9 as a junior (2.47).
“I could not play for a more dedicated coaching staff or team in the nation,” she said. “It’s a coaching staff that at times has believed in me more than I had in myself; a team that is committed to achieving our common goal; and being a player who is playing for something much greater than herself.”
Breast Cancer awareness
This Friday, the Leyden girls softball program is hosting a “Striking Out Breast Cancer” hitting derby.
Every five dollars donated will get you five swings at the plate, and just by participating you will have a chance to win a variety of prizes (from Leyden wear to restaurant vouchers, gift cards and sports memorabilia).
The hitting derby will begin at 3:30 p.m. on the varsity softball field at the East campus in Franklin Park. There will be music and food.
Anyone is invited and all proceeds will got to the Fezzuoglio family to serve as a memorial to coach Fezzuoglio’s wife Kathy and any cancer charity the family wishes to donate.
Leyden softball players will be selling $10 “Striking Out Breast Cancer” T-shirts in all sizes with all proceeds going to the Fezzuoglios. See a Leyden softball player to purchase one.
Women’s bowling
Wisconsin-Whitewater senior and women’s bowling team member Ashley Keclik (Fremd) was one of 27 student-athletes recognized for her outstanding performance academically as well as athletically at a special luncheon.
She is majoring in early childhood education with a minor in coaching and has a cumulative GPA of 3.285.
Keclik made the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and was selected to the National Tenpin Coaches Association All-Academic Team in 2009-10. She has had term honors for three semesters. Ashley won the Fright Night Invite in 2008 and was a member of the team that qualified for the USBC Collegiate Team Championship in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
She has participated in Make a Difference Day, Reading with the Warhawks, helped with the Food Drive for Whitewater Food Pantry, spent time as a nursing home volunteer and worked with the service learning project.
Keclik has also been a bowling camp counselor and coached Saturday morning bowling leagues. She was a volunteer co-coordinator for the early childhood conference.
Men’s track and field
North Central senior Michael Spain (Schaumburg) clocked the nation’s fastest time in the 10,000-meters, winning the event in an automatic qualifying time of 29:37.82 at the First Chance Invitational hosted by the Cardinals.
Ÿ University of Chicago senior Arthur Baptist (Prospect) placed second in the 10,000-meter run of the 20-team Chicagoland Championship Meet held at the Ted Haydon Track in Hyde Park. Baptist#146;s 31:08 was a Division III national qualifying timeRugby
The Arlington Stallions Rugby Club began its 2011 varsity season with a 47-0 win over the Schaumburg/Palatine Barbarians.
The game highlighted strong performances from both first-year players and four-year veterans of the Stallions program who took up the game while in middle school.
In the opening minute of play, Kalvin Booker (Buffalo Grove) ran through the Barbarian midfield defense to set up the day#146;s first try by John Maevski (Conant). From that point, the hard running of Booker and fellow senior Keith Jones (Buffalo Grove) set the table for Junior All- American scrum-half Kevin Lydon and senior fly-half Tyler Carolin to control the flow of play and distribute multiple tries (rugby#146;s version of a touchdown) to outside backs Gino Prestia (Conant), Andrew Collins (Hersey), David Hogan (Rolling Meadows) and senior forward Tom Devona (Rolling Meadows).
Man-of-the-Match awards were presented to Booker of the Stallions and Frank Jucha of the Barbarians.
#147;The players have bought into the emphasis we have taken this year on fitness and setting teammates up for good tries,#148; said Stallions coach Paul Bergman. #147;It is also very clear that Mike Pateras#146; idea four years ago to start kids playing in middle school is paying dividends now when you see how well our experienced players read the game and execute its fundamental skills.#148;
The next match is Thursday at Busse Woods Forest Preserve at 5 p.m. against the Rockford Ravens.
Ÿ Please e-mail Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com or FAX to (847) 427-1173.