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30 | July 11, 2019 | The glencoe anchor sports glencoeanchor.com Love of softball keeps local team together Michael Wojtychiw, Sports Editor The Mother Truckers, one of the teams in the Winnetka Park District’s Women’s 12-inch softball league that plays Tuesday nights from May to July, are a prime example of friends who continue to play a sport they’ve loved all of their lives. The team, which has been in the league for the past 10 seasons, came into the league as mostly New Trier graduates, many of whom played high school softball together and still continued their friendships, even as they became adults, got married and had kids. But not even those life events could stop the women of the Mother Truckers from playing the game they’ve loved for so long. “Softball is such a fun sport because it’s so social,” Katie Hielscher said. “It’s just an excuse to hang out with each other for a couple months a year and have fun, compete, hopefully win. Just laugh and enjoy each other’s company.” Hielscher and Amy Swartchild, who have been friends since they were kids, have both played since they graduated from college, coming up from the city to play for a team The Crushers, who eventually became too big and the Mother Truckers were born. The majority of those initial Mother Trucker squads was made up of New Trier graduates with a sprinkling of other local high school friends or others that they knew had played softball. Swartchild got an early introduction to softball, attending her mom’s games when her mom played in a women’s league in Highland Park. Coincidentally, that team’s name was also the Mother Truckers. However, unlike her mom’s team, the current Mother Truckers team wasn’t sponsored by a trucking company. “I do have a memory of being at games, so it was fun for me ... she’s always been an athlete, not necessarily a softball player, but was in this league,” she said. “It was fun to be able to name the team after her.” The size of the league has fluctuated since the group started playing, ranging from as many as eight teams to what was almost a devastating season this year. Just weeks before the season was to start, the league was stuck at three teams but luckily a team from Evanston, The Bundt BRATSCHIPLUMBING 801 OAK STREET, WINNETKA www.bratschiinc.com 847.446.1421 FOUR GENERATIONS FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED CELEBRATING 82 YEARS on the NORTH SHORE! CALL BRATSCHI TO CLEAN YOUR SEWER TODAY! Kimberly Gorham, of Northfield, swings during a recent Mother Truckers game at the Skokie Playfields. Michael Wojtychiw/22nd Century Media Cakes, jumped in last minute and the league could go on. If The Bundt Cakes hadn’t joined the league, it would have been the first time there wouldn’t be a league in 20 years. “That would have been devastating to us because we wouldn’t be able to get together on a Tuesday night and laugh and have fun together,” said Kerry Stinchcomb, of Northbrook, another one of the New Trier grads who has been with the squad for the entire run. When the league had eight teams, every team wouldn’t play any teams multiple times and there would be more competition in the league. Even though the league is smaller now than it has been in years past, Swartchild says it makes for as good of an experience as ever. “Yes, we need more teams, Lic. 055-004618 but one of the good things is that you know the players on the other teams now,” she said. “You can be friendly with them. It’s competitive but we know them, talk to them, we can laugh together.” One thing that hasn’t changed for the New Trier grads is the presence of Miss Mac. Jane “Miss Mac” McNamara, the longtime New Trier educator, coach, advisor and pioneer for women’s sports at the school, actually coached many of the Mother Truckers either in volleyball, softball or had them in class. A couple years ago, Stinchomb ran into Miss Mac at a local church event, told her about the softball team and that they play every Tuesday at the Skokie Playfields. McNamara told her she’d be at their next game and low and behold, when the Mother Truckers played a couple days later, there was Miss Mac at the Playfields to watch her former players play. She’s been to every game since. “She’s hilarious,” Swartchild said. “She’s the best. Tough as nails.” This year Miss Mac took to Please see softball, 29 DON’T WAIT UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE! MAINTAIN YOUR PROPERTY AND PREVENT BACKUP PROBLEMS •Sanitary Sewers •Storm Sewers •Downspouts •WindowWell Drains •Area Yard Drains
glencoeanchor.com sports the glencoe anchor | July 11, 2019 | 31 Baseball Wilmette Waves pitching dominates Highland Park 22nd Century Media FILE PHOTO 1st-and-3 THREE TEAMS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. 1. Loyola football (above). The Ramblers overcame a slow start to the season to win their last eight games en route to a state title. 2. New Trier field hockey. The Trevians won their first title since 2015 by knocking off twotime defending state champion Lake Forest. It was the Trevians’ third win of the year over LF. 3. New Trier gymnastics. The Trevians had their best state finish in 27 years, finishing second. Gary Larsen Freelance Reporter One of the odd benefits for a pitcher sitting out due to illness is a rested pitching arm, a benefit that Wilmette’s Jack Liepert used for all it was worth against Highland Park. Liepert tossed five innings of perfect no-hit baseball against the Giants in an 11-0 win for Wilmette, in a Connie Mack league game on Monday, July 1 in Wilmette. “I had a break with a sinus infection so I was out for a while, and my arm felt pretty good today,” Liepert said. “It was mostly fastballs and my location was on.” Liepert’s perfect game came in the first game of a doubleheader between the Waves and Giants. He struck out five and did not yield a walk in the win. Wilmette’s Avery Chatterton had two hits and two RBI, Alex Calarco had three RBI, and Eddie Harvey had a two-RBI triple in the Game 1 win. Wilmette also won the second game in five innings by a score of 14-4, with pitcher Harvey collecting the win and the Waves using an eight-run third inning to pull away from Highland Park. “We ran the bases pretty well, had a couple two-out hits, and we obviously had really good pitching in that Eddie Harvey delivers a pitch in a Connie Mack League game against Highland Park July 1 in Winnetka. Gary Larsen/22nd Century Media first game,” Wilmette head coach Mike Napoleon said. Cal Marran had three RBI and three hits to lead the Waves in the second game. Chatterton, Jack Miller, and AJ Steinback had two RBI apiece as Wilmette had 10 hits and took seven walks. Charlie Acri and Brett Johnson also had RBI hits in the Game 2 win. Highland Park went into Monday’s game with a 5-2 record in Connie Mack play but struggled in Wilmette. “It was obviously a tough day today,” Highland Park coach Jason Newburger said. “Our bats got a lot better in Game 2 but it wasn’t enough today. We did not play good baseball across the board but sometimes there are days like that.” Highland Park catcher Max Cairo saw a carryover effect for his side after Liepert stymied his side in the Monday’s first game.. “Everyone’s been hitting the ball well but we had no hits in the first game and our energy just wasn’t there,” Cairo said. “(Liepert) had a perfect game and I really think that kind of bummed us out going into the second game. “We were able to get ourselves together and we ended up with (six) hits in the second game, and that’s really more our brand of baseball. We had more energy in the dugout and on the field.” Unfortunately for Highland Park, Harvey followed Liepert with another solid pitching performance for Wilmette. Harvey had five strikeouts in five innings in going the distance in the second game. “(Liepert) is doing a nice job. He’s going to be a senior so we expect good things from him and Eddie Harvey,” Napoleon said. “Alex Calarco will be one of our main guys, and Drew Robinson and Jack Miller are also doing a really nice job for us in terms of being good leaders for us. “You’re not so concerned about the won-lost record in the summer. I just want to try to get our guys better for next year, get their fundamentals down, and see them work as a team and get to know each other.” Monday’s two wins gave Wilmette an 8-3 record with six league games remaining. The Waves lead the Connie Mack Blue Division and Liepert believes this summer bodes well for New Trier’s spring season of 2020. “We’re focused on playing clean games because if you don’t give up walks and don’t commit errors, it makes the game pretty easy,” Liepert said. “I think we’ve definitely improved from the spring season in the field, and our bats have been really good this summer.” Highland Park (5-4) got two hits apiece in Game 2 from Cairo and Abe Winer, along with RBI hits from Gabe Spitz, Joey Glickman, and Albert Kaskel. “We’ve been playing really good baseball — good defense, the bats have been good, and we’ve been throwing a lot of strikes,” Newburger said. “Both (catchers) Max Cairo and Gabe Spitz have not only been hitting well but also handling the pitching staff well. They’re young guys behind the dish and then we’ve got some returning seniors doing a nice job leading them.” Listen Up “I’ve been an athletic director and have always had a love of sport.” Brian Mancuso — New Regina Dominican athletic director on his past. tunE in What to watch this week BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Summer has started and it’s time to get out to the beach and play some volleyball. • Visit any of your local beaches and hit the ball around this summer. Index 28 - Rowing 27 - Athlete of the Week Fastbreak is compiled by Sports Editor Michael Wojtychiw, m.wojtychiw@22ndcenturymedia.com.
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