Buczynski comes up big for Bears

Forget about the dozens of hitters who swung way late at one of her mitt-cracking fastballs or just tapped the ball weakly.

Katie Buczynski conquered more than hitters this season.

She conquered Lake Zurich's green monster of a hill in left field.

More Coverage Links The Lake County all-area team

"It was the farthest hit ball I've ever seen," Bears coach Becky Lewandowski said. "I was in awe. I couldn't believe it."

To hit a pitch over the left-field fence at Lake Zurich's quirky field, batters have to elevate the ball up the green grass. Directly behind the fence is another fence, which surrounds Lake Zurich's splashy stadium, which features artificial turf.

By the time Buczynski's home run stopped rolling, a fan reportedly had to walk onto the turf to retrieve the ball.

"It was ridiculous," Bears senior Chrissie Wichmann said.

Buczynski never saw the ball land. She had her head down and was sprinting.

"I was just happy I hit it over the fence," she said with a laugh. "It felt good when it came off the bat, but I just ran hard."

The home run, parked early in the season and the first of 10 hit by Buczynski this year, figures to be held in "legendary" esteem someday.

And years from now, Lake Zurich fans surely will still be talking about Katie Buczynski.

"Biz" certainly provided a buzz in 2008.

She's the captain of the Daily Herald's Lake County All-Area softball team after putting together a senior season that was defined by her brilliant pitching and, yes, ability to hit the ball a long way.

"She is so good," said Wichmann, a fellow senior and all-area choice. "She always puts all her heart into it. It's a joy to play with her."

Batting against Buczynski?

Probably not a joy.

In her fourth varsity season and third as Lake Zurich's ace, the hard-throwing right-hander posted eye-popping numbers. She went 22-4 with a 0.58 ERA, striking out 283 batters in 181¿ innings, while walking only 21, and firing 17 shutouts.

She pitched the Bears to their second consecutive North Suburban Conference championship, and if her homer into LZ's stadium wasn't her most memorable one of the season, it was likely her shot in the NSC title game.

After giving up a run to host Vernon Hills in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 1-1, Buczynski lined a homer over the left-field fence in the top of the eighth. The solo shot turned out to be the game-winner.

"I was just like, 'I need to hit. We need to win this game, because we've worked for this,' " Buczynski said afterward. "I just waited back on it and swung my heart out."

Truth is, she rarely got cheated at the plate.

In addition to her 10 long balls -- the most ever by a Lake Zurich girl, Lewandowski believes -- Buczynski batted .360 with 27 RBI. She also had 6 doubles and 2 triples.

And a bunt single.

Buczynski may be strong and not built like a sprinter, but she can indeed run fast. She proved that against Mundelein during the regular season when she laid down a bunt and legged it out for a single.

"I usually don't bunt," Buczynski said. "I think I was just doing real bad that day so I said, 'I think I'll bunt.' "

Her speed, in truth, is something the three-time all-area and all-conference selection worked hard on to improve. She works with her trainer "Olen" and thanks to a contraption she jokingly calls a "death machine" -- a treadmill with a harness attached -- she got faster.

But back to "the homer."

Chris Bennett, who's been keeping the softball scorebook at Lake Zurich home games for the last 8-9 years, said it was the first ball he ever saw hit over the left-field fence. Later in the season, the Bears' Ella Aslan also went deep to left.

"Katie's was like a rocket shot," Bennett said. "I think the ball bounced and ended up on the football field. If it was a flat surface (in left field), it probably would have been 40 or 50 feet past the fence."

Buczynski's final homer came against Mundelein in regional semifinals. Alas for her and the Bears, they were upset by the 14th-seeded Mustangs.

"I really don't even know (what happened)," Buczynski said. "Our coaches and a couple of other players were all talking afterward and we were like, 'What happened?' We just didn't come out very strong and at the beginning and Mundelein brought their 'A' game."

Buczynski delivered hers all season.