August 30, 2010

The 2011 School year has begun and all the coaches and I are excited about this coming season.  As we discussed at the end of last season, the quality of our team will be directly dependent on how many of the off-season opportunities were taken advantage of.  For example, we had 14 players in Camp this summer, 22 players in travel/house softball competition, several players took some college camp instruction, and a few had private lessons.

The next great opportunity for every player starts next week Tuesday (8/31) from 3:45 – 4:45pm at Saint Viator High School.  I have met with the school’s new strength and conditioning coach and he has mapped out a program for the off-season athletes.  The strength/conditioning will take place on Tuesday and Thursday, every week from 3:45-4:45pm at Saint Viator High School.  There will be no more morning conditioning!!  I would strongly recommend that you take advantage of this opportunity as often as possible.

If you are an in-season athlete (Fall Sport), your coach will have a program that is incorporated in your practices.  Softball will be incorporating strength and conditioning within our in-season practices. If you will be in-season in the Winter, you can attend these strength sessions up to your tryouts, then your coach will work with our strength coach on a program within your sport.

If you are serious about softball and expect to improve yourself and your skills this year, prior to tryouts, this is an opportunity that you should take advantage of.  Warehouse lessons will be coordinated on different days this year, based on the strength training schedule.  Pitching will still be on Sunday evenings.

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May 26, 2010
Saint Viator Shuts Down Wheaton Academy

The Saint Viator Lions played their opening regional game with a 7-0 win over Wheaton Academy. After a scoreless first inning, the Lions came out with their bats swinging. Alex Flasch led off with a triple to the center field wall. That was followed by Melanie Slawny’s triple to right (scoring Flasch). Kristen Cozzi then singled to right to bring in Slawny. Ronnie Mack entered the game to run for Cozzi. Mack advanced to second base on Amanda Presslak’s single up the middle. With runner’s on first and second, Tayler Lenart hit a double to left center that scored two. Torey Lenart advanced Tayler to third and Abby Dickey drove in the fifth run of the inning with a fly to Center Field.

The Lions scored two in the bottom of the fifth inning with hits from Amanda Presslak and Tayler Lenart to lead off the inning. After two outs, with runners on second and third, Abby Dickey doubled to left to drive in her second and thirds runs of the game.

The Lions held Wheaton to two hits. Both of those hits came in the top of the fifth inning. Wheaton was held scoreless on some excellent defense by the Lions. After two singles, on the first pitch to the next batter, the ball rolled away from catcher, Tayler Lenart. She located it and threw to Abby Dickey at third to peg the runner. After a walk, Alex Flasch then fielded a hard grounder to force the runner at second for the second out of the inning. The next batter grounded to Flasch who flipped to Amanda Presslak at second for the third out. Julie Sweeney recorded her 13th victory of the season. She had 9 strike outs.

                1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Wheaton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
SVHS        0 5 0 0 2 0 0 7 9 1

WP – Sweeney - 9K
LP – Huizenga

Triples – Slawny and Flasch
Doubles – Abby Dickey (3 RBI) & Tayler Lenart (2 RBI)
Two hits – Slawny (RBI), Presslak and Tayler Lenart

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May 24, 2010

Saint Viator High School Sweeps Saint Joseph's to end their regular season.

The Lions ended their regular season with a winning record (18-17) for the first time in 17 years. It is the most wins for Saint Viator softball ever. In the first game, the Lions scored 12 runs in the first inning to coast to a 22-2 victory. Julie Sweeney picked up the win in five innings. She let up two hits and struck out five. Offensively, the Lions received five hits from Amanda Presslak (2 - 2B and 3 singles) and five RBI. Sweeney hit two home runs and had six RBI. Abby Dickey also hit a home run. Bridget Urbanus went three for three with 2RBI. Melanie Slwany had a double and 2RBI.

            1   2 3 4 5 R H E
SVHS   12 0 0 6 4 22 20 0
St Joe   1  0 0 1 0  2 2 1

WP - Sweeney (13-9)

In the second game, the Lions won 7-2. Melanie Slawny picked up the win with three stike outs and leeting up five hits. Slawny also went two for three with a home run, single and three RBIs. Hitting doubles for the Lions were Abby Dickey, Alex Flasch, and Kristen Cozzi.

Bridget Urbanus and Julie Sweeney each had two hits. The Lions took the lead 3-0 in the 3rd inning with an RBI single by Urbanus and two run homer by Slawny. St Joe brought the game to 3-2 by the fifth inning. In the bottom of the fifth, Urbanus and Flasch each singled. Slawny singled to drive in Urbanus and Flasch scored on a wild pitch. The Lions finished off thier scoring in the bottom of the sixth when Jaclyn Koziol led off with a walk. She scored on a double by Abby Dickey and the Sweeney singled to bring in the seventh run.

            1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
St Joe   0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 5 2
SVHS    0 0 3 0 2 2 X 7 11 2

WP - Slawny (5-8)

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May 19, 2010

We had our last home game for six of the seniors last night. Prior to the game, every player spoke about the influence that the senior’s had had on them this year. They spoke about every senior as a “role model." In my view, they are more than just role models, they are Champions. It takes many things to be a champion and each of these six had all these things. But each of the girls had at least one stand-out attribute that blends together to make a champion. Here’s how I see it:

Champions always:

Take a Positive Approach - Jennie Michalik

Possess a Concept of Team - Ronnie Mack

Seek to Consistently Perform - Amanda Presslak

Have a Determination to Succeed - Melanie Slawny

Demonstrate their Athleticism without Boundaries - Bridget Urbanus

Commit to Excellence - Abby Dickey

Thank you, seniors, for blessing the Saint Viator softball team with your time and talent this year.

Coach Twarog

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May 3, 2010

Saint Viator Varsity softball defeats Carmel 3-2

The Saint viator Lions defeated Carmel today 3-2. Saint Viator scored two runs in the bottom of the 5th and the winning run in the bottom of the 7th. Julie Sweeney won her 11th game to bring her record to 11-4. Saint Viator's overall record is now 15-7. Sweeney had 4 stirke outs.

Carmel scored in the first inning on a hit and an error. They were threatening to score a second run when Alex Flasch took a throw at second base to cut down the runner stealing, during the throw, the runner on third tried to score. Flasch's perfect throw to Tayler Lenart stopped the second run from scoring in the inning.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the 5th when Abby Dickey and Bridget Urbanus each singled after the first out in the inning. Alex Flasch advanced the runner with a single and then Amanda Presslak hit a single to center field that scored both Dickey and Urbanus. After 6 innings the Lion were ahead 2-1.

In the top of the 7th, Carmel homer on the first pitch of the inning. They were then put down in order to bring the game 2-2 game to the bottom of the 7th inning. In the bottom of the 7th, Abby Dickey led off with a walk. Bridget Urbanus lofted a single to left and Julie Sweeney came up and hit a single to center to bring home the winning run.

            1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Carmel 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 5 1
SVHS    0 0 0 0 2 0 1 3 9 2

WP - Sweeney
LP - Tack

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April 28, 2010
Saint Viator Softball Defeated Highland Park 6-2

Julie Sweeney won her 10th game of the season and improved her record to 10-2 with a complete game six hitter for the Lions.  Sweeney struck out 7 and collected a big RBI in the 4th inning.  The lions were down 2-0 and the bases were loaded with one out in the top of the fourth when second baseman Amanda Presslak handled a tough hopper, chased down the runner going to second and threw to Melanie Slawny to complete the inning ending double play.  The play seemed to ignite the Lions as they scored six runs in the bottom of the 4th inning. 

Presslak led off the 4th with a single and after Kristen Cozzi flew out to Right Field, Maggie Dickey drew a walk.  Presslak and Dickey stole third and second respectively.  Talyer Lenart’s singled to left to drive in Presslak. Dickey went to third and Lenart moved to second on the throw home.  Abby Dickey then ripped  a single to drive in her sister from 3rd base.  Bridget Urbanus followed with another single up the middle to drive in Tayler Lenart.  Julie Sweeney singled to drive in Abby Dickey and Alex Flasch drove in two runs with a single to left center.

Sweeney came out in the top of the 5th with a 6-2 lead and retired the next nine batters she faced to end the game.

                               1     2     3      4       5      6      7     R     H    E

Highland Park      0     0     1     1         0      0     0     2    6      1

Saint Viator          0     0     0     6       0       0      X    6     9     0

WP – Sweeney – 7K

Abby Dickey – 2 hits (single and double) RBI
Bridget Urbanus – 2 hits and RBI
Alex Flasch – 2RBI
Amanda Presslak – 2 hits.
Tayler Lenart - RBI

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April 20, 2010
Saint Viator Defeated Round Lake 12-2                    

Saint Viator improved their record to 13-5 by defeating Round Lake 12-2 in 5 innings.  Julie Sweeney raised her record to 9-2 with a 6 strike out, 2 hit performance.  Melanie Slawny pitched the final inning in relief.  Abby Dickey, Bridget Urbanus and Tayler Lenart led the Lions offense.  Dickey had two hits (single and triple) and led off the game with a triple.  That was followed by another triple by Bridget Urbanus.  

Tayler Lenart had three hits and scored three times.  Ronnie Mack and Jennie Michalik each had two RBI on key singles in the late innings.  Alex Flasch and Angelica Dickey each had doubles.

                        1     2    3    4    5          R   H   E

Round Lake       0     0    0     2   0        2    3   1

Saint V iator      2    2     5    1     2      12  14  0