A season rich in third basemen
Jerry Schilf remembers Julianne Rurka’s baptism into high school softball as fondly as if it were his own kid.
First game, first at-bat: Benet’s freshman third baseman homers off Geneva.
“She’s coming around third base and I’m pretty proud and I mention to the Geneva coach, ‘That’s my freshman,’” recalled Benet’s coach, “and he goes, ‘It’s got to go down from here.’”
Not exactly, coach.
Rurka is hitting a team-best .462 with 13 doubles, 3 homers and leads the 18-9 Redwings with 26 runs batted in.
Rurka is just one of a bumper crop of first-year varsity third baseman tearing up DuPage County, a group that includes Glenbard North freshman Sydney Benz, Glenbard South junior Olivia Ramirez, Lake Park sophomore Shannon Fritsche and Waubonsie Valley sophomore Erin Hohman.
Rurka’s potential was no secret to Schilf. She lives down the street and has baby-sat for the Schilfs. He knew the kind of player Benet was getting.
Schilf counts at least a half-dozen of Rurka’s doubles as lasers off the fence that could have gone out. Defensively, she possesses a rocket arm. Perhaps the most amazing stat is the middle-of-the-order hitter has struck out just 1 time in 98 plate appearances.
“I’ve never had a kid that could hit the ball with that kind of authority have that few a strikeouts,” Schilf said. “She’s been consistent for us and carried us numerous times.”
Benz, batting third in a solid Glenbard North lineup, is hitting .388 with 5 doubles, 2 homers and 13 RBI, and already owns 3 doubles in 6 plate appearances off West Chicago ace Mary Connolly.
“She is one of those girls that will jump up on a tee if it is open and mix up her own drills. Unbelievable work ethic,” Panthers coach Josh Sanew said. “She has quick hands and she is very strong for a freshman.”
Hohman, one of a nice batch of good young Waubonsie hitters, is at .325 with 7 doubles and 22 RBI.
Fritsche and Ramirez both had big shoes to fill, replacing three-year starters in Carly Willert at Lake Park and Amanda Fazzari at Glenbard South.
Fritsche is hitting .360 with 9 doubles and 22 runs scored atop the Lancers lineup. Ramirez is batting .393 with 6 doubles, 23 runs scored and 12 RBI, including the game-winner against Downers Grove North on Wednesday.
“She has surpassed my expectations,” said Raiders coach Julie Fonda of a player somewhat hidden near the bottom of a stacked lineup. “She’s not flashy like Amanda, but she’s consistent and at the plate she’s been ripping it up. I’m thankful that she’s filled that hole for us.”
Lancers go to bat against autism:Lake Park isn#146;t just one of the hottest softball teams between the lines. The Lancers are doing some exemplary work off the field, too.This Sunday Lake Park is hosting a hitting clinic for kids in grades 6-8, with a suggested donation of $20 to go to Autism Speaks, one of the leading organizations for Autism awareness. Lake Park already hosted a pitching clinic and raised $750, and plan to participate in the Walk Now for Autism Speaks on May 21 in Chicago.Lake Park coach Tom Mazzie#146;s 3-year-old son, Everett, was diagnosed with autism last spring. Mazzie pointed out that autism is a spectrum disorder that varies wildly from case to case and affects as many as 1 in every 110 children in the United States, more common among boys.Lake Park players have spray-painted puzzle pieces, the symbol for autism awareness, on their dugout and are wearing the autism awareness ribbon. Lake Park#146;s JV held a fundraiser outside a local grocery story to raise $30.#147;Truthfully, I care more about raising awarenes than raising the money,#148; said an appreciative Mazzie. #147;It#146;s been a nice way for the girls to give back.#148;Big home-and-home in UEC:Melissa Wilson will get her first taste as Neuqua Valley head coach facing alma mater Lake Park this weekend, times two.The Wildcats host Lake Park on Friday, then turn around and play a makeup game in Roselle at 9 a.m. Saturday.The home-and-home is pivotal in a tight Upstate Eight Valley race, with Lake Park 10-3, Bartlett 10-4 and Neuqua 8-4 with a week-plus to play.#147;The girls realize how much these games mean to me,#148; said Wilson, a 2003 Lake Park grad. #147;Playing a team like that two days in a row is definitely a challenge.#148;Neuqua (12-5) went two full weeks in April without playing due to rainouts, but it#146;s been a packed schedule since then. The Wildcats played nine games in 13 days culminating with Tuesday#146;s 8-6 win at Waubonsie, and they go to St. Charles North today before the Lake Park games. Next Wednesday#146;s home game with Bartlett looms large as the Wildcats hunt their first conference title.Wilson points to hitting as the biggest key, and the bottom half of Neuqua#146;s lineup has played big lately. Sophomore Megan Childs has two go-ahead hits in the last week.#147;We had a hard time jumping right back in,#148; Wilson said, #147;but I feel the more games you play the better you play. We have the potential to be a great team.#148;