Liberty meets with national success in Texas
The 18U Lake County Liberty, a member of the Lake County Fastpitch Softball Association, returned from a successful trip to the Amateur Softball Association Class A nationals in College Station, Texas.
The Liberty went 4-2 at nationals against some of the best competition in the country. Teams qualified for nationals by winning ASA metro, state or regional tournaments. The Liberty earned its berth by winning the 2006 ASA Northern Nationals championship in Brooklyn Park, Minn.
The Liberty opened up nationals by beating the Texas Scream, which this summer finished second in the entire state of Texas, a highly regarded hotbed of softball. Lake County was also victorious against the Ohio Ice, Mississippi Thrillers and Kansas City Force, a perennial Missouri powerhouse.
Against the Thrillers, the Liberty scored 3 runs after two outs in the seventh inning for a heart-pounding come-from-behind victory.
In one of the most memorable games in its history, the Liberty played the Artesia California Punishers at Texas A&M Softball Stadium.
The Punishers prevailed and went on the win the 2007 ASA National Championship.
This year's Liberty finished 37-17 and featured individuals from many area high schools, including Lindsay Callanan (Antioch), Courtney Ryan (Carmel), Maggie O'Brien (Cary-Grove), Maddi Tropp-Bluestone (Glenbrook North), Jen Ignoffo and Hannah Karstedt (Lakes), and Kaysee Fitzpatrick (St. Viator).
The Liberty also featured Lisa Odom (Stevenson, NCAA national champ University of Arizona), Anna Snyder (Grayslake, Aurora University), Alyssa Wilson (Vernon Hills, College of Lake County), Kris Ottens (Grayslake), Katelyn Blanas (Grayslake, Elmhurst College), Alison Phillips (Stevenson, Macalester College) and Alex Vikartofsky (Stevenson, Miami of Ohio University).
•Karli Tracey has been named to manage the 16U Lake County Freedom.
She was an all-conference pitcher/first baseman/outfielder for Deerfield High School before playing college ball at Division 1 Drake University in Iowa. She also played travel ball locally for the Trevians and the Homer Hawks.
Tracey managed the 15U Lake County Glory at USSSA Nationals. She also coached softball at Lake Forest High School for three summers and has been a high school varsity assistant coach in Lawrence, Kan., for the last two years. She is a private pitching and hitting instructor, as well. She currently teaches middle school English in Lawrence, but in her new role as manager of the Freedom, will be relocating back to Lake County.
•Based on its success over the past several years, the Lake County Fastpitch Softball Association will be adding travel teams at the 10U and 23U age brackets for the 2007-2008 season.
Tryouts will be held for the 18U Liberty, 16U Freedom, 14U Glory, 12U Stars and 10U Spirit beginning this weekend for the 2007-2008 season.
All tryouts will be held at the Lake Zurich High School varsity softball field, 300 Church Street in Lake Zurich. Players need to try out only once, but can come back for the second tryout if they feel their first wasn't a true reflection of their skills.
10U -- Saturday, 9-11 a.m. and Sunday, Aug. 26, 9-11 a.m.
12U -- Saturday, noon-2 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 26, noon-2 p.m.
14U -- Saturday, 3-5 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 26, 3-5 p.m.
18U -- Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon and Saturday, Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to noon
16U -- Sunday, 1-4 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 25, 1-4 p.m.
Travel players from all areas with a desire to play competitive A-level softball and who have an interest in playing high school and college varsity ball are welcome to try out. There is no fee for the tryout. Players should bring their own equipment and water, and should arrive 30 minutes prior to their scheduled tryout time to complete a registration/waiver form. Players under 18 years of age will need a parent's signature on the form. For more information about tryouts, go to www.lakecountyfastpitch.org, call (847) 722-4120, or e-mail docmoretti@aol.com.
Tryouts for the 23U Lake County Independence will be announced at a later date.