Barrington softball success continues in summer

BARRINGTON — The Barrington High School softball program has been a model of success for several years.

That success has carried over to Barrington Hurricanes 18U summer travel team. For 21 years, the Barrington Hurricanes 18U team has assembled at the Barrington High School’s Field of Dreams to take on some of the state’s upper echelon girls softball teams.

The Hurricanes, comprised entirely of Barrington High School seniors, juniors, and sophomores, have amassed a 28-7-1 record through the first five weeks of summer. The team has traveled to four tournaments and hosts doubleheaders at the Fields of Dreams every Tuesday and Wednesday evening. Fillies varsity coach Perry Peterson has coached the Hurricanes since they began play in 1994.

One summer highlight transpired within the Rocky Mountains over the week of the Fourth of July.  The Hurricanes competed in the Colorado Sparkler 18U tournament, where the team tied for seventh place out of the 155 participating teams in the week-long event.  The seventh place finish was the highest amongst all Illinois teams entered. The Hurricanes were the only team participating, which consisted of athletes solely from one high school, an uncommon feat in today’s softball arena.

Incoming BHS senior pitcher Keenan Dolezal has led the way this summer for the Hurricanes. Dolezal, who will receive an athletic scholarship to pitch at Loyola University Chicago, defeated teams from California, Arizona, New York, Colorado, and Texas in a week where the Hurricanes finished with a 7-2 record. Tournament highlights from Colorado included Liz Sweeney’s grand slam versus Central California Krush in an 11-1 victory, Jamie Brown’s two doubles over Syracuse Sting Gold in the 9-2 triumph, and Dolezal’s no hitter versus the Loveland Rage from Colorado.

Hurricanes offensive team leaders for the summer season include Carly Kordich’s .392 batting average, Rachel Macdonald’s 10 doubles, Kordich’s 3 triples, Brown’s 4 home runs, Macdonald’s 28 runs batted in, and Annie Leiding’s 10-for-10 in stolen bases.

Pitching and defense continues to remain a constant to the Barrington Hurricanes success. Dolezal has thrown 16 shutouts this summer, while amassing 225 strikeouts in 195 innings pitched.  Team defense has shown to be stellar throughout the summer season as the collective group has only committed 29 errors in the first 36 games of the summer.

The team roster includes seniors Keenan Dolezal and Julie Magro and juniors Jamie Brown, Nicole Chapman, Maggie Di Iorio, Kelly Katis, Annie Leiding, Rachel Macdonald, Nicole Sturgis, and Liz Sweeney, and sophomore Carly Kordich.

“The girls and their families have made this an outstanding summer season.” Peterson said. “The trip to Colorado was a tremendous experience for everyone involved both on and off the field. To see the team go white water rafting as a group was a sight to behold.”