Lake County Liberty off to hot start
The Lake County Liberty, 18U A-level travel team of the Lake County Fastpitch Softball Association, began its summer season by sweeping the USSSA Northern ICE Summer Celebration Tournament and taking home another championship trophy and Nationals berth.
The Summer Celebration Tournament, played at both McHenry Township Fields and Wauconda's Cook Park, was the third consecutive championship won by the Liberty in its last three times entering the competition. Despite missing three players due to weekend high school graduation festivities and another to the IHSA playoffs, the Liberty averaged over 6 runs per game, while its dominant pitching held opponents to 3 runs for the entire tournament.
The Liberty got the summer season rolling by posting a convincing 8-2 win over the Crystal Lake Tidal Waves, behind the strong pitching of Dayton-bound Amanda Daly (Johnsburg). She struck out six and allowed no earned runs as the Liberty run-ruled the Tidal Waves in five innings. She also helped her own cause by knocking in a run and swiping two bases.
Jackie Kisman (Crystal Lake Central), Shannon Lauret (Zion-Benton) and Maddie Riordan (Lakes) each had multiple-hit games, while Sara Jacobson (Jacobs) and Lauret each contributed 2 RBI. Illinois recruit Alex Booker (Warren), Ryleigh Sears (Zion-Benton), and Lindsay Callanan (Antioch) also hit safely for the Liberty.
Game 2 saw Lake County matched against the Prairie Hurricanes. With Nikki Ramsay (McHenry) throwing a 1-hitter in a 6-0 victory.
Callanan, who now plays for Northern Iowa and is in her last season with the Liberty, led the offense going 2-for-2 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Catcher Megan Gier (McHenry) drilled a triple and drove in a run. Ramsay and Booker also drove in runs, while Kisman and Jacobson also had hits.
The victory lifted the Liberty into the semifinals against the Northern Illinois Thunder Purple. Liberty bats boomed out 11 hits, blasting the Thunder 8-1. Missy Green (New Trier) got the Liberty on the board in the second inning by legging out a run-scoring triple and later scored on Jacobson's sacrifice fly. Green's triple was one of her 3 hits, and she also drove in 3 runs. Daly and Lauret each had 2 hits, while both Jacobson and Ramsay drove in a pair. Kisman, Lauret, and Daly each crossed the plate twice for the victors. Daly struck out 12 en route to the win.
In the championship game, Lake County again faced Northern Illinois, as the Thunder fought back from the bottom bracket to gain an opportunity to win the title. But Daly's solid pitching silenced the Thunder for the second consecutive game, leading the Liberty to a 3-0 championship game whitewash. It was Daly's third win in the tournament to go with no earned runs allowed and 23 strikeouts in 18 innings pitched.
The Liberty got all the runs they needed in a three-run third inning. Booker and Kisman (each 1-for-2) got on base to set the table for the middle of the Liberty lineup. Ramsay and Daly followed by driving in the two, while Ramsay scored on Green's single. Ramsay and Green each had 2 hits for the Liberty and Riordan chipped in with a double, as the Liberty captured another Northern ICE Summer Celebration Tournament championship.
The game was attended by several spouses of U.S. troops from Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, stationed in Afghanistan.
Lake County players donated their time to babysit for them during this past winter and spring. The team dedicated the game to the troops and earlier had a moment of silence for four of their fallen soldiers, killed in action this year. Liberty players also presented roses and the championship trophy to the spouses as a token of the team's appreciation to the brave soldiers who fight for freedom and to the spouses and families who support them.
Northern Ice 95 Finish First: The Northern Ice 95 travel softball team took first place in the 14A division of the Trevian ASA Northern National Qualifer last weekend.
The Ice went 3-0 in the rain-shortened tournament, earning a bid to ASA Class A Northern Nationals in St. Joseph, Mo., in July.
The Ice beat Trevians 96 10-0, then Sauganash Storm Black 5-0 in the semifinals. In the championship game, the Ice beat the Kenosha Cyclones (AJ) 4-1.
This was the Ice's fourth consecutive week in a championship game. All but one resulted in a first-place trophy. The Ice also have one second-place and two third-place tournament finishes this season. Their current record is 40-11.
Northern Ice 95 is a 13-and-under fastpitch softball team comprised of top athletes from Lake and McHenry counties as well as souther++++n Wisconsin. Players are: Jordyn Bowen (Grayslake), Kelsey Borders (Lake Villa), Lindsay Cannon (McHenry), Kelsea Cichocki (McHenry), Lindsay Efflandt (Cary), Molly Ellet (Mundelein), Haley Morelli (Mundelein), Lisa Semro (Cary), Megan Sowa (Gurnee), Sam Storms (Lake Geneva, Wis.), and Kelly Suerth (North Barrington).