Alleycats have good mix of players
Coming off a program best 38-12 overall finish in 2007, the Illinois Alleycats are slated to open the 2008 campaign Sunday at Larkin High School in the Northern Illinois Lightning Round Robin Invitational.
Behind an impressive .321 team batting average and a team ERA of 2.26, the Alleycats' history making 38-win season included two second-place finishes in 7 tournaments.
This summer, they return 12 players to the field including an experienced pitching staff and are joined by several newcomers looking to make a quick impact.
Amidst returning talent are Larkin graduates and pitchers Tami Miller (Elgin Community College) and Allison Benthusen (Carthage College).
At Carthage, Benthusen completed the year with a 3.44 ERA.
Erica Swan (Kirkland-Hiawatha/University of Wisconsin-Parkside) and Jackie Gill (Heyworth/Augustana) also return to the circle for the Alleycats, and will be joined by rookie hurlers Stacy Gillette (Fremd High School/St. Louis University) and Nikki Prokuski (McHenry County College).
Both are expected to strengthen an already strong pitching staff while filling the void of missing pitcher Jenna Szybowicz (Augustana) who will be out this season due to injury.
Spending the bulk of her time at Augustana playing first base, Gill recorded a 3.00 ERA while inside the circle and hit .241. A workhorse at SLU, Gillette finished the college season with a 3.57 ERA.
The Alleycat infield returns in full force anchored by Katie Williams (Lane Tech/ Valparaiso) at third base, Chrissy Rosin (Niles West/Augustana) at shortstop, Jen Spoden (Elgin High School/Aurora University) and Sara Brandel (Streamwood/Elgin Community College).
Veteran backstops Liz Yucuis (St. Charles East/University of Wisconsin-Whitewater), Marissa Osness (Woodstock/McHenry CC) and Natalie Smith (St. Edward/ Judson) complete the inner circle.
From Northern Illinois University, newcomer Kim Lofton will also spend some time behind the dish.
Yucius started every game for the Division III runner-up, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater hitting .210 with 3 home runs. Rosin hit .341 at Augustana with 10 doubles and 4 home runs.
The outfield will carry the bulk of the Alleycats' youth with Natalie Chase (Libertyville/Illinois Wesleyan) as the lone returning starter. Chase comes off a successful college campaign at Wesleyan where she hit .337. She will be joined by newcomers Shannon Powers, Maria Sorrentino (Eastern Illinois University) and Kristin Delafeld.
Powers (Lake Park/University of Illinois) will split time between the outfield and second base. Sorrentino, who hit .540 for McHenry High School, will transition from second base to the outfield. Delafeld (University of Illinois-Springfield) is expected to bring more speed to an already quick outfield.
"Part of putting a team together is chemistry and these players have sure do have fun together," said Alleycats coach Tom Potter. "Make no mistake, when they step over those white lines, the competitive fires of these athletes takes over.
"I am understandably excited for this season," said Potter. "The main objective for the Alleycat program is for college players to keep their skills sharp during the off-season and/or ready themselves for college careers."