Special recreation team advances to state games
Submitted by Special Recreation Association of Central Lake County
On Sunday, July 27, the Special Recreation Association of Central Lake County's Special Olympics Softball team traveled to the Elgin Sports Complex to compete in the District Softball Tournament.
The SRACLC Crusaders played their first game against the Silver Lightning. The Lightning started off the first inning strong with 3 runs, but the Crusaders were able to pull ahead in the bottom half, bringing in 4 runs thanks partly to Katie Millar's two RBI double.
The Crusaders then went on to prove they also had a very competitive defense, shutting down the Lighting with 1-2-3 outs in the top of the second. Lindsay Copeland, the SRACLC pitcher, struck out two of the three batters. They followed that with 6 runs in the bottom.
The game got very competitive in the top of the third inning when the Lightning sent six runners home, nearly tying up the game, but ending the game just one point shy. The final score was close at 10-9, sending the Crusaders through to the championship game.
The championship game was played against the Freeport Freedom. This is when the Crusaders bats really came alive. They scored 6 runs in the top of the first and another 8 in the second. Mitchell Glazer and Alexis Winegard were able to get their first hits of the season. The championship game ended with a 14-4 victory for the Crusaders.
The SRACLC team will be advancing to the Special Olympics State Games-Outdoor Sports Festival in Decatur Sept. 13 and 14.
"I could not be more proud of our team's achievements this season. Their outstanding hitting has them scoring more runs game after game. I know they will continue this success into the next tournament," said Kelly Weber, Crusaders coach.
The Special Recreation Association of Central Lake County provides recreation for people with disabilities of all ages and interests. For details, visit www.sraclc.org, or call (847) 816-4866.
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