Lightning, Alleycats kick off season Sunday

With a program record of 216-142, the Northern Illinois Lightning Women's Fastpitch 18 and over team will look to continue an eight-year tradition, opening summer season No. 9 at Larkin High School Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. as they host the Northern Illinois Lightning Round Robin Invitational to kick off the 2008 campaign.

Led by ninth-year manager John Radtke the Lightning will take the field with 10 returning players from last year's team who are joined by six talented newcomers.

Re-entering the circle this season will be Elissa Wisniewski (Stevenson/Winona State), Kelli Whipple (Elgin/Lake Land CC) and Christine McGivney (Hinsdale Central/ University of Maine).

In 68 innings pitched last summer, Wisniewski collected a 1.44 ERA striking out 36 batters en route to 7 wins. In 70.33 inning of work, McGivney fanned 44 hitters racking up 10 wins and a 2.19 ERA. Matching McGivney's 10-win tally was Whipple who earned a 2.01 ERA with 52 strikeouts.

After a summer off, Aimee Ewert (Jacobs/Judson) melds back into the Lightning starting rotation having completed her final season at Judson University going 11-12 with 2 shutouts, a 3.16 ERA and 96 strikeouts helping the Eagles to a program-best season.

Courtney LaFerle (Larkin/Valparaiso) will be the lone returning catcher for the Lightning and will also spend time in the infield. LaFerle helped coach the team last summer when she was out with a torn ACL but was the 2006 stat leader hitting .397 with 2 home runs and 41 RBI. Thus far, she has tallied 90 hits in her Lightning career.

Around the horn, the Lightning welcome back veteran infield talent in Jaci Corn (Elgin/Judson), Ashley Smith (St. Edward/Wisconsin-Whitewater), Karisa Hansen (Larkin/Aurora University) and Abbie Bates (Crystal Lake South/Southern Illinois University). Pitchers Whipple and Ewert may also alternate into various infield/outfield duties.

This will be season No. 5 with the Lightning for Corn at first base. Last summer, she hit .343 with 4 doubles, 5 triples, 3 home runs and 18 RBI in the lead-off spot. Her career numbers with the team include a .319 average and a program-record 134 hits.

Smith comes off a successful season at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater where she hit .345 with 5 doubles, 11 RBI, a .417 slugging percentage and a .976 fielding percentage starting in 46 games at second base. With the Lightning last year, she hit .398 with 5 doubles, 18 RBI and had 10 sacrifice bunts with 8 stolen bases.

Hansen returns to the Lightning lineup for her third year having hit .300 at Aurora University with 2 triples and a .400 slugging percentage. In the outfield, she recorded a 1.000 fielding percentage. Bates also enters her third season with the team. Last year, she hit .263 with 16 RBI and spent the bulk of her time at shortstop. At SIU-Edwardsville, she was a member of the 2007 NCAA Division II National Championship team.

Anchoring outfield duties will be Suzanne Gersich (Warren/Wisconsin-Whitewater), Chaleen Rumpf (Lincoln-Way Central/SIU-E) and Kim Corcoran (Cary-Grove/Judson).

Gersich brings with her the experience of three fantastic seasons at Wisconsin Whitewater which was the NCAA Division III National runner-up this spring. This past season, she hit .405 with 13 homers and 56 RBI. With the Lightning last year, the right fielder hit .356 with 2 HRs and 16 RBI. Rumpf comes off a strong sophomore campaign at SIU-E where she hit .325 (9 doubles, 2 triples, 4 HR) with 26 RBI and 16 stolen bases. Corcoran brings speed to both the basepaths and the outfield. A left-handed slap hitter, Corcoran hit .351 last summer, scored 20 runs and drove in 10 while racking up a team-high 11 stolen bases.

"The veterans will lead the way," said Radtke. "We have an older team with some new players that have had very successful college seasons.

"Having taken third at nationals the last two years, our core has remained together and we're expecting another very successful summer."

The Lightning's bevy of new talent includes Sarah Waylock (Cary-Grove/Heartland CC), Michelle Gorzelle (Fremd/Heartland CC), Amy Gahl (Wisconsin-Whitewater), Nicole Guska (Sandburg/University of Michigan) and Kaylee Noll (McHenry/North Central College).

New to the Lightning, this group hardly lacks experience. Waylock (3b, C) was a Daily Herald honorary co-captain last year who helped the first-year program at Heartland to a third-place finish in the NJCAA World Series. Gorzelle will spend time at third base and shortstop. Gahl hit .393 with 11 doubles, 53 runs scored, 5 triples, 9 home runs and 29 RBI as a junior at Wisconsin-Whitewater and will play outfield for the Lightning.

Both Guska and Noll will work as backstops for the Lightning. Guska is a Sandburg graduate who led her team downstate as a junior. She has also played with the Orland Park Sparks summer program, and recently completed her freshman campaign as a preferred walk-on at the University of Michigan. As a catcher for North Central College, Noll hit .375 with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, 30 RBI and a .554 slugging percentage. Catching in 39 of 40 games, she had a .995 fielding percentage.

"We're looking for a fun summer again," said Radtke. "Our strength will be our veteran talent and their experience playing together. We have excellent pitching and there will certainly be a lot of competition for playing time."

The Lightning will open against the Dolls Rebels at Larkin at 11 a.m. Sunday.

The Lightning will also host two tournaments at the Elgin Sports Complex. The Lightning Summer Bash is June 13-15 and includes 44 teams in three age groups (16U, 18U, 18 & over) and then the John Radtke Memorial National Fastpitch Classic July 12-13 with 24 of the best women's teams in the Midwest.