More than softball to BC grad Oranger at UTEP

Burlington Central alum Kayla Oranger is making an impact on and off the field for the University of Texas-El Paso softball team.

Oranger and her teammates are part of a Miners' program that is heavily involved in community service.

According to a story late last year in the local El Paso Times, the team has participated in a bone marrow drive and also accumulated more than 500 hours of community service with projects like The Miracle League, the Candlelighters, Ronald McDonald House, local elementary schools, a walk for the Child Crisis Center, work at the West Texas Food Bank and an event with the Big Brothers-Big Sisters at a UTEP football game.

The bone marrow drive aims to find people who are matches and can donate to sick people in need of bone marrow.

“Everything we have done has been rewarding,” Oranger told the newspaper. “But of all the things we've done, this (the bone marrow drive) is very different. This is a chance to help kids with leukemia.”

On the field, Oranger, a sophomore shortstop, had started 39 games through late this week. She was hitting .277 with 33 hits and also was perfect on all 6 of her steal attempts. Oranger sported a .938 fielding percentage and was a part of four double plays. She started 55 games as a freshman for the Miners in 2010.

UTEP was 16-29 overall and 1-14 in Conference USA play through Thursday.

No-hitter for Mahoney: Crystal Lake South graduate Emily Mahoney threw a no-hitter recently for the Dominican University softball team. Mahoney, a sophomore pitcher, tossed the no-hitter in the second game of a doubleheader sweep of Rockford College. She allowed 1 run in the game on a pair of fourth-inning walks. Her record improved to 5-3. She faced 18 batters in the 5-inning game and struck out eight of them.

Mahoney was also a hitting star in the first game. She cracked a 3-run homer in the bottom of the fourth that gave Dominican an 8-0 lead. She went 2-for-2 with a walk, 3 runs scored and the 3 RBI.

On the season, Mahoney was hitting .337 in 29 starts (through Thursday). She had 28 hits, 22 runs scored as well as 2 homers and 21 RBI. Mahoney sported a .482 slugging percentage and a .406 on-base percentage. On the mound she was 10-4 with 7 complete games and 1 save. She had 70 strikeouts in 70 2/3 innings of work.

Dominican was 19-11 overall and 11-7 in conference play though Thursday.

Court nominated for award: Dundee-Crown grad Ryan Court is one of two Missouri Valley Conference baseball players named as a candidate for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. There are 30 candidates in the country.

To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence — classroom, character, community and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

A second-team all-MVC player last year, Court was hitting .322 in 34 starts for the Redbirds to start the week. He had 39 hits, which included 12 doubles and 5 homers. Court had 26 RBI and had scored 33 runs. He sported a .579 slugging percentage and a .468 on-base percentage (24 walks), to go with a perfect 6-for-6 ledger in stolen bases. ISU was 24-10 and 4-2 in MVC play to start the week.

Lowes will announce the winner at the NCAA College World Series in June.

Kay earns player of week accolade: Bartlett graduate Elizabeth Kay was named the Missouri Valley Conference player of the week earlier this season.

Kay was honored for her play in a series against Wichita State. Kay powered the ISU offense, going 3-for-6 at the plate with 2 home runs and 4 RBI in a doubleheader against the Shockers. The sophomore catcher hit a solo blast to left-center Game 1 before delivering a 2-run homer that put the Redbirds ahead 2-0 in the fourth inning of Game 2.

Through Thursday, Kay was hitting .291 with team bests in home runs (12) and RBI (37). She also sported a lofty .650 slugging percentage and had committed just one error in 203 chances behind the plate.

In a recent doubleheader sweep of Indiana State in Normal, Kay went 2-for-3, which included her 11th home run. She drove in 2 runs in the game. She also went 1-for-2 with her 12th homer—a solo shot—in the finale. Illinois State swept the doubleheader by scores of 9-0 and 5-1.

ISU was 28-13 and 14-2 in MVC play through Thursday.

Holtz at Eastern Illinois: Larkin product Kiley Holtz is a senior infielder-catcher on the Eastern Illinois University softball team.

Holtz has played a major role in the team amassing a 32-8 record through Thursday (9-1 in conference action).

Holtz had started all 40 of the team's games and was hitting .311 with 38 hits. Among those 38 hits were 8 doubles and 4 home runs. She had 24 RBI and drew 13 walks (. 391 on-base percentage).

In the field, Holtz had committed just 5 errors in 124 chances.

Eastern Illinois had a team ERA of 1.29 through Thursday, while opposing pitchers had a 4.41 ERA.

Hardie at Winona State: Crystal Lake South graduate Kaitlin Hardie is a sophomore second baseman on the Winona State softball team. Through Thursday, Hardie was hitting .278 in 26 starts. She had 20 hits, which included 6 doubles and 1 triple. Hardie also had scored 12 runs and driven in seven more. She sported a .967 fielding percentage (3 errors on the season). Winona, which was ranked sixth in the country to start the week by one ranking outlet, was 27-4 and 11-1 in conference play.

Bee lauded: Larkin graduate Nick Bee was named the UW-Whitewater men's track and field athlete of the week earlier this season. Bee, a freshman, finished fourth at the 2011 Wartburg Select in the 100 with an NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time of 10.74, which was, at the time, the fifth-fastest time in the country on the NCAA qualifying list.

Trio of locals star on links: A number of former local prep boys golfers played well at a recent tournament for the Carthage College men's golf team. Sophomore Donnie Langland, a Jacobs graduate, took medalist honors at the Ripon College Spring Invitational with rounds of 71 and 65 (136 total). Langland's second-day round of 65 tied a school record set in 2007. His 2-day mark of 136 missed tying the school record by a single stroke.

Bartlett grad Anthony Burdi, a freshman, was second with a 138 (70-68) and Crystal Lake Central product Riley Bauman, also a freshman, tied for fourth with a 142 (72-70).

Off at college wants your help: Send information and/or statistics on Fox Valley area athletes playing collegiately to Mike Miazga at difibulator@aol.com.