Carmel players, coaches view tornado damage up close and personal

The Carmel baseball team saw more than just fastballs, curveballs and changeups on its Spring Break trip downstate this week.

Devastation and destruction also provided an eyeful.

The Corsairs spent most of their time near Marion, which is a town in far southern Illinois. But they also took a day trip to Harrisburg, which is a small nearby community that was ravaged by a deadly tornado last month.

Harrisburg hosted Carmel for a game at its high school, which is still functional and suffered minor damage compared to many homes and buildings in the area.

“There were houses condemned. There were two-story houses that were now one-story houses. There were houses that had been bulldozed. It was unbelievable to drive through that,” Carmel coach Joe May said. “But we wanted our kids to see that. We wanted them to get some perspective.

“It's important for our kids to understand that even though baseball is important for them, it's not life.”

While the Corsairs did get a win over Harrisburg, their bigger victory was the help they were able to provide local residents. They presented a parish in town with a check from Carmel. One Carmel family even came with its own donation for the high school from money collected from people in its community.

See you in the suburbs:

Heading south for a Spring Break baseball trip may mean getting away from lower temperatures, but it doesn't necessarily mean getting away from familiar competition.

Carmel was in downstate Marion playing games at RentOne Park, which is a spiffy minor-league stadium that is home to the Southern Illinois Miners. The Corsairs opened with a win over Cary-Grove, a team they will turn around and play again on Tuesday back in the suburbs.

Other suburban teams made RentOne their Spring Break home as well, such as Warren, Mundelein, Grayslake North, Vernon Hills, St. Charles North, New Trier and Lockport.

Carmel had already played Warren in Lake County before Spring Break.

“This is quite a destination for teams from (near Chicago),” laughed Carmel coach Joe May, referring to RentOne Park. “But I don't mind traveling six hours to play a team we're playing again next week, like Cary-Grove. It's all about being assured that you can play. The weather has been really nice so far this spring and teams (in the Chicago area) are getting games in, but most years, the weather is terrible. The last two Spring Breaks, we stayed home and we didn't get much of anything in. couldn't get any games in. You're chances down (south) are much better.”

Dugout duty:

Coaching baseball is Joe May's thing, but playing volleyball might not be.

The Carmel coach is in a walking boot after suffering a serious ankle injury during a faculty/student volleyball game at a recent school pep rally.

“I went up for a block and came down on someone's foot and rolled my ankle,” May said. “I really tore it up. I've got crutches and everything and I have no idea how much longer I'll be in this walking boot. But it's probably not helping that I keep trying to walk on it.”

May is trying to lay off his foot a little bit, though. He normally coaches third base when the Corsairs are up to bat, but he has put assistant coach Chris Dovichi on that duty while he coaches from the dugout.

“I was going to have Chris coach some third base this season anyway because he needs that experience,” May said. “If I need to make suggestions, I can just call to him from the dugout.”

Young gun: Carmel's big-time college recruit has come up big so far.

Senior pitcher Alex Young, who has already committed to Texas Christian is 2-1 and has given up only 2 hits and 1 run in his first 15 innings on the mound. He rolled up 8 strikeouts in a win over St. Charles North this week.

“Alex is living up to all the hype that surrounds him,” Carmel coach Joe May said. “He's that big No. 1 pitcher and we can lean on him.”

Carmel is also getting some solid contributions out of an actual “young gun.”

Sophomore pitcher Quinten Sefcik is 1-0 after earning a win against Harrisburg over Spring Break.

“He has excellent control for someone his age,” May said. “He's very steely on the mound.”