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Cary-Grove grad Freeman sets Missouri Valley shot put record

Cary-Grove brethren Josh Freeman had another record-breaking shot-put throw for the Southern Illinois University men's track and field team - this time at the Bill Cornell Spring Classic.

Freeman, who broke and reset his own indoor shot-put record during the indoor season (63-9), once again broke SIU throws coach John Smith's 30-year-old outdoor record (62-3 ½) with a winning throw of 62-8¾.

Freeman's throw also is the all-time best in Missouri Valley Conference history. He reclaimed the record for SIU after Smith's record was topped in 2012. Freeman's current throw registers as the fourth-best throw in the NCAA West Region and sixth-best in the country.

Perryman at UMSL: Elgin High School graduate Hannah Perryman continues to rack up the strikeout numbers.

Perryman, now a sophomore pitcher at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, already has fanned 157 batters this season in 18 appearances.

Perryman came into the season ranked third all-time in program history in strikeouts with 352, sixth in ERA (1.52) and seventh in shutouts (10).

The 2013 third-team all-American started the week with a 12-3 record and a 1.05 ERA. She has 7 complete games, 3 shutouts and 2 saves. In 86⅓ innings, Perryman has surrendered only 47 hits and 13 earned runs, while striking out 157 against only 31 walks. Opponents were hitting only .153 against her (12 extra-base hits).

So far, Perryman has eight games of 10 or more strikeouts this season. She had 16 in a game against Upper Iowa, 15 against Newman, 14 against Southeast Missouri, 13 against Quincy, 11 against Truman State and Pittsburg State and 10 against Ft. Hays State and William Jewell.

UMSL was 22-3 and 9-1 in conference play to start the week.

Popenfoose at Auburn: Huntley graduate Marcus Popenfoose is a senior on the Auburn University men's track and field team. Popenfoose, who took 16th at the NCAA Division I outdoor championships in the shot put last year, has already logged numerous impressive throws this year.

Popenfoose took first at the Vanderbilt indoor invitational with a mark of 57-0. At the Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket invitational, Popenfoose threw 57-4¾ and took second in the shot and also threw 169-2 in the discus and placed third.

Harris at Villanova: Streamwood graduate Josh Harris is a left-handed pitcher on the Villanova baseball team. To start the week, Harris was 2-4 with a 4.59 ERA in 7 appearances (6 starts). Harris has 20 strikeouts in 33⅓ innings for a Villanova squad that was 7-14 overall to start the week.

Dennison at Butler: Bartlett alum Callie Dennison is a senior infielder on the Butler University softball team. Dennison has played in 24 games this season and has 10 hits in 50 at-bats and has scored 7 runs. She has 3 doubles and a homer among her 10 hits. She also has walked six times and stole 2 bases. Butler was 10-19 overall and 0-2 in conference play to start the week.

Pierce at Southeastern: Former South Elgin standout Kim Pierce is a senior outfielder on the Southeastern University (Lakeland, Fla.) softball team. Pierce has played in 17 games thus far and is hitting .444 with 20 hits in 45 at-bats. She has 12 runs scored, a team-best 8 doubles, 2 home runs and 10 RBI. Pierce sports a .756 slugging percentage and a .500 on-base percentage. She has struck out only 5 times and is a perfect 7-for-7 in stolen-base attempts. She's also perfect in the field with 18 putouts, 2 assists and 0 errors. Southeastern was 17-8 overall to start the week.

Huntley grads playing well: Two former Huntley baseball players are contributing as true freshmen this season at the Division I level. Colin Lyman is a freshman outfielder on the Louisville baseball team. To start the week, Lyman was batting .362 in 23 games. He has 17 hits in 47 at-bats with 13 runs scored and 9 RBI. Lyman also is 8-for-10 in stolen-base attempts and has a .447 slugging percentage.

Bryce Only is a freshman infielder on the Nebraska baseball team. To start the week, Only was hitting .292 in 14 games. He has 7 hits, has scored 5 runs and has 5 RBI.

Louisville was 21-6 to start the week, while Nebraska was 15-12 overall.

Locals at Valparaiso: A pair of former area softball stars are key contributors on the Valparaiso softball team. St. Edward product Tarah McShane is a junior catcher. She's hitting .292 with 21 hits in 72 at-bats. McShane has scored 9 runs and has 6 doubles, 1 triple, 4 home runs and 18 RBI to go with a .569 slugging percentage and a .414 on-base percentage. She's also walked 9 times and been hit by a pitch on six other occasions. In the field, she's made 1 error in 74 chances.

Huntley graduate Amanda Wisniewski, who came into the season ranked third all-time in career walks (78) and seventh in home runs (18) at Valparaiso, is hitting .275 with 22 hits in 80 at-bats. She's scored 12 runs and has 6 doubles, 6 homers and 15 RBI. Wisniewski is slugging .575 and has 9 walks so far this season.

Valparaiso was 7-21 overall and 2-2 in Horizon League play to begin the week.

Kossakowski at Northern Illinois: St. Edward graduate Kali Kossakowski is a freshman infielder on the Northern Illinois University softball team. Kossakowski has played in all 27 games so far this year and has 10 hits in 56 at-bats. She has scored 10 runs and has 6 RBI. Northern Illinois was 11-16 overall to start the week.

Locals at Bradley: Two local products are part of the Bradley University baseball team. Bartlett graduate Greg Partyka is a senior first baseman who is hitting .321 in 22 games. He has 25 hits in 78 at-bats with 12 runs scored, 4 doubles, 2 homers and 22 RBI.

Burlington Central alum Austin Jarvis is hitting .295 in 18 games. The senior catcher-infielder has 18 hits in 61 at-bats. He also has 4 doubles and 14 RBI and has made 1 error on 122 total chances (. 992 fielding percentage).

Bradley was 15-8 overall to start the week.

Gulczynski at Wisconsin: Bartlett product Jacki Gulczynski just finished her junior season on the University of Wisconsin women's basketball team. Gulczynski played in 29 games this season and averaged 7.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. She blocked 41 shots, made 34 three-pointers and shot .846 from the foul line for a Wisconsin team that went 10-19 overall and 3-13 in Big Ten Conference play.

Smith at Loyola: South Elgin graduate Becca Smith recently completed her freshman season on the Loyola-Chicago women's basketball team. Smith played in 32 games this season and averaged 8.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. She made 21 three-pointers and shot .605 from the free-throw line. She also had 95 assists and 38 steals.

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