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High school baseball

Lincoln varsity baseball vs. Chatham-Glenwood

[MAY 2, 2001]  The Lincoln Railer varsity baseball team looked pretty good against Chatham—for four innings. After the fourth inning, they led the Central State Eight’s second-place ball club 5-4. Then the "error bug" bit. When you surrender four hits and commit five errors in one inning, as happened to Lincoln in the fifth, you’ve got problems. Chatham scored five runs in the fifth and added another in the sixth and in the seventh. Lincoln didn’t give up, scoring three in their last two at-bats. But Chatham held on to win 11-8.

Lincoln got on the board quickly, scoring three in the first inning. Justin Dedman and Danny Schick reached on singles, and Chris Phillips tripled them both home. Andy Knopp brought Phillips in on a sacrifice fly to left center. In the third, Matt Aper singled, and Dedman’s bunt benefited from a miscue from Mark Clayton, Chatham’s pitcher, who bobbled the toss from the first baseman. Aper scored from third on a delayed double steal, and Dedman was plated by Phillips, who singled.

Down 10-5 going to the bottom of the sixth, Lincoln desperately needed some offense. Knopp led off with a full-count double to left-center and went to third on a wild pitch. Andrew Bartman walked, and Ryne Komnick’s sacrifice fly brought in Knopp. Blake Schoonover tallied Michael Aper, pinch running for Bartman, by beating out an infield single that angled off the pitcher’s ankle toward the second baseman. Matt Aper pulled a double down the third-base line, which would have scored Schoonover, but the hooking ball smacked into the high-school building, and Schoonover was required to return to third. But with a 3-1 count on Dedman, Chatham’s pitcher was able to pull off a pickoff at second base to end the inning.

In the seventh, the Railers once again had their opportunity. Dedman was hit by a pitch, stole a base, and Phillips whacked an RBI-double (his third hit of the game). Knopp walked, and Bartman was hit by a pitch. The Railers had bases loaded with two out, down 11-8. But a grounder to short ended the game with a force out at second base.

[to top of second column in this article]

[Chris Phillips takes a ball in the dirt. His third hit of the game was a double in the seventh.]

[Both Andrew Bartman (BB) and Andy Knopp (2B) scored in the sixth inning.]

Chris Phillips pitched Lincoln’s game. He gave up 13 hits, struck out seven and walked only one. Of the 11 runs scored on Phillips, only four were earned.

Some bright spots for Lincoln: The first five batters in the order (Matt Aper, Dedman, Schick, Phillips and Knopp) were 8-for-16 (with Matt Aper’s two hits and Phillips’ three), and reached base in 12-of-20 plate appearances. Lincoln had five extra-base hits—against a good pitcher. They pulled off a model delayed double steal to score a run in the third. Pitcher Phillips had a pickoff at first. Catcher Bartman threw out a base stealer at second. Third baseman Knopp gunned down a runner heading for home with one out. But alas—too many mistakes in concentrated doses. It was the second game in a row that the Railers registered eight errors.

Lincoln’s record is now 16-9 (4-5 in the conference). Thursday, the Railers have the chance to even the score with Chatham at Chatham. Saturday, they’ll travel to Washington for a doubleheader.

[Rich Knopp]

[Box scores and stats vs. Chatham-Glenwood]

High school baseball

Lincoln varsity baseball vs. Normal Community

[MAY 1, 2001]  The Lincoln varsity baseball club is still learning. Monday, against Normal, the hard lesson was the point that it’s nearly impossible to allow 18 hits and commit eight errors and still be in the game in the seventh inning. Actually, the Railers were very much in the game through five innings, trailing just 8-6. But Normal scored eight runs in the final two innings and Lincoln never tallied again. Final score: 16-6.

Normal, now 11-6-1 on the year, scored in every inning but the second and third. They had a six-run fourth inning, a three-run sixth and a five-run seventh. In those three innings alone, Lincoln committed six errors. For the game, Normal had 18 hits, with six hitters having multiple hits. Senior Justin Lightbody hit for the cycle and scored three times. He would have had another double, but Lincoln’s center fielder, Justin Dedman, hoofed a long distance to catch a third-out drive to left center.

Lincoln scored a run in the first on a two-out single by Danny Schick and a strange right- center-field RBI triple by Chris Phillips. Normal’s outfielders apparently lost track of the ball and then played the ball lackadaisically. All the while, Phillips kept on chuggin’ and beat the eventual throw. In the second, Aaron Matson and Matt Aper scored after reaching base on a dropped third strike (for Matson) and an error (on Aper’s behalf). Andrew Bartman brought in Matson on a ground out, and Aper scored on a passed ball.

In the fifth, down 7-3, Lincoln scored three more. Dedman walked and scored on a Schick double, his second hit of the game. Schick scored on a balk, and Andy Knopp walked and scored on an RBI single by Aper.

[to top of second column in this article]

[Danny Schick had two hits, including an RBI double.]

[Coach Pat Hake, with the rule book, challenges a ruling. Both Knopp (at bat) and Schick (at third) end up scoring.]

Ryan Williams, who took the loss, went 5 2/3 innings. Although 11 Normal runners scored on Williams, only five were earned. Williams also provided a potential Lincoln Railer record-book entry. The left-hander picked off a runner at first in the first inning, one in the second inning and two in the third inning. In fact, the last runner picked off, in a symbolic protest against the umpire’s no-balk calls on Williams, had a lead of no more than one small step. Even so, while several scorekeepers were commenting on the minuscule lead, Williams’ motion fooled them for the fourth time.

Jamison Sheley pitched a third of an inning in the sixth and seventh innings, yielding five runs (four earned), including Lightbody’s triple for his cycle. Michael Martin finished the last two-thirds of the inning, striking out one and allowing no runs.

Senior catcher Andrew Bartman had an excellent day behind the plate. Bartman threw out two attempted steals at third and one at second.

The Railers, now 16-8, face a tough conference foe this week, playing Chatham at home on Tuesday and away on Thursday.

[Rich Knopp]

[Box scores and stats vs. Normal]

College baseball

Lincoln College vs. Millikin JV

[MAY 1, 2001]  For the first time since 1990 Lincoln College won 20 baseball games in a single season.   The Lincoln College Lynx handed the Millikin JV team a double setback Monday afternoon at Galen Shirley Memorial Field to achieve the 20-victory mark.   It is the first time since Tony Thomas has been coach of the Lynx that they reached 20 victories.   Rob McDonald was the coach of the 1990 team that posted a 38-20 won-lost record.

Lincoln College won the opening game of the doubleheader 9-3 and took the nightcap 2-1. The Lynx got excellent pitching from Mark Stoltzenburg, Brad Barker and Matt Knepper in the first game, with Barker getting credit for the victory. In the second game, Brian Langworthy, Jason Rockhold and Rick Sherren combined for a four-hitter, with Rockhold gaining the victory and Sherren earning a save.

In the first game Stoltzenburg hurled the first four innings, giving up four hits and three runs, all earned.  He struck out two and walked one. Barker pitched two innings and recorded three strikeouts while giving up no hits or runs. Knepper pitched the final inning without giving up a run despite a pair of hits allowed. Gary Ryan led Lincoln College at the plate with two hits and an RBI in four trips. Lincoln broke the game open with four runs in the fifth inning to take a 6-3 lead.

The second game was a classic pitching duel. Millikin got on the board with a single run in the third inning, which stood up until the bottom of the sixth when Lincoln plated two runs.  Kyle Eastman led off with a double and Brad Bone beat out a bunt to put runners at first and third.  Tim May bounced one over the left-center-field fence for a ground-rule double which scored the tying run. Donnie Skelton then squeezed home the winning run with a perfect bunt.  

Langworthy pitched the first four innings, giving up two hits and one unearned run.   He walked three and struck out two. Rockhold pitched two innings, allowing a pair of hits and no runs with one strikeout. Sherren got the save with one inning of work and a pair of strikeouts.

[to top of second column in this article]

First game

Millikin JV         001 200 0 – 3 - 6 - 1

Lincoln College   002 043 x – 9 - 8 - 1

Perkins (L) & Sparks; Stoltzenburg, Barker (5-W), Knepper (7) & Ro. Sherren.

Millikin JV          001 000 0 – 1 - 4 - 1

Lincoln College    000 002 x – 2 - 6 - 2

Millikin (unavailable); Langworthy, Rockhold (5-W), Ri. Sherren (7) & Skelton.

[Bill Martinie,
Lincoln College sports information director]

High school baseball

Lincoln varsity baseball vs. Morton

[APRIL 30, 2001]  The Lincoln varsity baseball team split a doubleheader with Morton on Saturday. In the first game, the Railers scored two in their final at-bat to win 5-4. But in spite of a Chris Phillips home run in their last at-bat in the second game, they fell short by the same score, 5-4.

In the opener, Lincoln scored a run in each of the first three innings. Ryan Williams scored on a double to left-center by Derek Schrader in the first. In the second, Michael Aper, pinch running for Andrew Bartman, who had singled, scored on a catcher throwing error after an attempt to nab him stealing third. And in the third, Nick Bay scored when the Morton center fielder mishandled a fly ball hit by Phillips.

Morton began with a run of their own in the first (a leadoff home run) and plated three runs in the third, helped by a couple of Lincoln throwing errors. From the fourth through the sixth innings, the scored remained unchanged, with Morton leading 4-3.

[Ryan Williams drove in Blake Schoonover for the tying run in game one.]

As Lincoln has done several times this season, they faced the challenge of coming from behind late in the game. Lincoln started off the seventh with a strikeout. But Blake Schoonover, in his first at-bat of the game, smacked a double down the third-base line and moved to third on a passed ball. After a walk to Justin Dedman, who was in his first at-bat, Ryan Williams grounded out to short, but it was good enough to plate Schoonover for the tying run. With two out, Derek Schrader, who had two doubles earlier in the game, came to bat. Schrader came through and singled to left-center, driving in Dedman for the eventual winning run.

The Railers used three pitchers in the game. Michael Martin started and went three innings, striking out one and allowing four runs (one earned), two hits and one walk. Williams went the next three innings and gave up no runs on one hit. After Lincoln took the lead in the seventh, Ryne Komnick was called on to finish the game. While surrendering a double, he struck out one and got two fly outs to wrap it up and record the win.

[to top of second column in this article]

[Danny Schick is called out sliding into home.]

In the second game, Andy Knopp got his first pitching start of the season. Knopp, who had fought throwing-arm tendonitis last year and in the summer, had originally decided not to pitch this season. His first inning of work resulted in three runs, with three hits, a walk and a hit batter. In the next three innings, he yielded no runs on two hits. In the fifth, with one out, he caught Morton’s Axel Larson’s chin with a high, inside fastball that forced Larson’s departure from the game. Unfortunately, the next batter, Todd Stephens, sent a two-run shot over the left field fence, putting Morton up 5-3. Williams pitched the last inning. He struck out one and gave up a couple of hits and a walk but allowed no more Morton runs.

Lincoln scored one run in the third when Martin hit a ground-out RBI that tallied Schoonover, who had doubled. In the fourth, both Aaron Matson and Jamison Sheley (pinch running for a walked Matt Boyer) scored on hits by John Peters and Schoonover. In the seventh, still down 5-3 with two outs, Lincoln’s Chris Phillips sent a home run smack over the left-field barrier. But that’s all the score Lincoln could produce.

The Railers had several prime unfulfilled scoring opportunities. They left a runner in scoring position in the fourth. In the fifth, Danny Schick had reached second on a single and stolen base. After a fly out by Phillips to center, Schick headed for third, and the throw went to the sideline fence, prompting Schick to take off for home. Schick, however, was gunned down before he could tag the plate. In the sixth, thanks to a single by Matson and two errors that gave bases to Sheley and Matt Aper, Lincoln had bases loaded with no outs. However, the next three hitters struck out and flied out twice to left field. Both Matson and Schoonover had two hits apiece in the second game.

Lincoln’s record is now 16-7 (six wins over last year’s total). This week, the Railers play home games against Normal on Monday at 4:15 and against Chatham on Tuesday at 4:30. Thursday, they will travel to Chatham.

[Rich Knopp]

[Box scores and stats vs. Morton (first game)]

[Box scores and stats vs. Morton (second game)]

College baseball

Lincoln College vs. Lincoln Land Community College

[APRIL 30, 2001]  Lincoln College dropped a pair of close games to Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield on Sunday afternoon. Lincoln Land won the opening game 11-9 with a five-run fifth inning and took the nightcap 6-5. Lincoln College's record slipped to 18-28 with the double setback. The Lynx host the Millikin JV at 2 p.m. Monday for a doubleheader.

Lincoln College scored three runs in the top of the third to break a scoreless tie in the first game; however, Lincoln Land came right back with three of its own in the bottom half of the inning, against Lincoln High School graduate Anthony Hoffert. After Lincoln Land took the lead with two runs in the fourth, Lincoln College responded with four runs in the fifth to take a 7-5 lead. Rick Sherren took over on the mound for coach Tony Thomas in the bottom of the fifth, and Lincoln Land responded with five runs, making a loser of Sherren. Brad Bone led the Lynx at the plate with three hits in four trips while Erik Rich had a pair of hits and two RBIs. Jake VanDyke also contributed two hits in four trips for Lincoln. Hoffert struck out four and walked none in his four-inning stint. The right-hander surrendered seven hits and five runs, all earned.

In the second game it was the same story. Lincoln College was able to break on top first, only to have the hosts come right back. The Lynx tallied three times in the second, and Lincoln Land scored the same number in their half of the inning. Lincoln Land went on top with a run in the third before the Lynx tallied twice in the fifth for a 5-4 lead. Lincoln Land scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to record the victory. Jaren McLane suffered the loss, going five innings, giving up seven hits and six runs, five earned.   McLane fanned one and walked one. Ahmad Richie had a pair of hits, drove in a run and scored a run for Lincoln while Charlie Huelett had two hits in three trips with one RBI.

[to top of second column in this article]

First game

Lincoln College            003 040 2 – 9-9-0

Lincoln Land                003 251 x – 11-16-2

Anthony Hoffert, Rick Sherren (5-L), Matt Knepper (5), Charlie Deakin (6) & Robert Sherren; Stefano (W) & Kuntci.

Lincoln College            030 020 0 – 5-9-2

Lincoln Land                031 002 x – 6-7-1

Jaren McLane (L), Charlie Deakin (6), Matt Knepper (6) & Robert Sherren; Turner (W) & Lewis.

[Bill Martinie,
Lincoln College sports information director]

[APRIL 27, 2001]  This week's LDN Sports Talk takes on a different look than ever before. Since I couldn't get the LDN powers-to-be to send me out to Colorado Springs to do this interview, Race and I struggled together by e-mailing. I spent a Saturday coming up with a list of 20 to 25 questions and finally just told him to answer them when he could. He did that while going to class, studying for a test, practicing and, I think, writing a paper. It is very easy for a sports writer like me to have nothing but admiration for young men like Race Steinfort. I'm glad people like him are protecting Payne at night while he sleeps (or keeps his parents up). I hope you loyal LDN fans will enjoy Race's written response to my list of questions as much as I did! On behalf of the LDN, thank you, Race. We all wish you nothing but the best!

Response from Race Steinfort

[click here for Part 1]

I am majoring in aeronautical engineering as well as getting my math minor. I’d like to someday go into airplane design. However, once I graduate, I will go off to Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) where I will be trained for approximately one year to fly jets. Following UPT, I will have a 10-year commitment to the Air Force in which I hope to fly F-15s and/or A-10s.

[Race Steinfort]

I have been swimming competitively for about 16 years now, and yes, it has prepared me for swimming here. College is a whole new game, though. Instead of swimming every event possible, I now specialize in two to three events: the 100/200 back and the 1,650 (mile) free.

As for people I should thank, there are far too many to list. I think the main contributors were a man named Fred Plesé and my parents.

Mr. Plesé has been a huge inspiration in my life. This man, through rain, dark, snow, and hail, managed to show up at 5:30 in the morning at least three times a week and get into the water to swim with my father and me. He started from barely being able to swim for five minutes to swimming for an hour-plus and getting out hardly even breathing hard, with a giant grin on his face like he had just conquered the world (or at least the pool). To this day he still swims with my father every other morning. His dedication to swimming, his job and a giant family, and more importantly, his ability to, day after day, show up at 5:30 a.m. ready to jump in a cold pool with a giant smile on his face has made me believe that no matter how cold the water is or what lies ahead, the only way to go is just smile and jump in.

[to top of second column in this section]

I also have to thank my parents for all their support and love. They were there when I needed prodding and they were there to pick me up when I fell. They’ve been there through everything, and I know for sure that I wouldn’t be who and where I am today if it weren’t for them.

The only advice I have to give is to never underestimate yourself or your abilities and never take the easy way out. Some people believe that they can’t get anywhere because they were never given an opportunity. No one is ever given an opportunity; you have to make one for yourself, whether it’s in a pool, on a court or in a classroom.

The key is to take the harder path. Sometimes it takes giving up some things such as time and freedom, but in the end, it’s just like an investment. That which you gave up will turn into something much better. For me, the time and freedom and other things that I have given up in the past have allowed me to swim Division I and attend a great college; and the freedom and regular college life that I’m giving up right now will allow me to fly a $30 million aircraft at two times the speed of sound. You cannot give up everything, but unless you make some sacrifices, you will not be able to achieve your goals.

Yes, I would recommend the Air Force Academy and I am glad I came, but I would have to add one thing. It is not for everyone. It is a different life. I already told you a little about freshman year for me. It wasn’t easy and it was rarely fun. The academy offers a great education, great friendships, and I get paid to go to school, but in return I have pledged to give my life in the defense of our nation. I owe at least five years to the Air Force after I graduate and 10 years if I become a pilot.

It is something that must be well thought through before the decision is made. But I’d have to say jumping out of airplanes and flying fighters is an excellent way to spend a summer!

[APRIL 26, 2001]  This week's LDN Sports Talk takes on a different look than ever before. Since I couldn't get the LDN powers-to-be to send me out to Colorado Springs to do this interview, Race and I struggled together by e-mailing. I spent a Saturday coming up with a list of 20 to 25 questions and finally just told him to answer them when he could. He did that while going to class, studying for a test, practicing and, I think, writing a paper. It is very easy for a sports writer like me to have nothing but admiration for young men like Race Steinfort. I'm glad people like him are protecting Payne at night while he sleeps (or keeps his parents up). I hope you loyal LDN fans will enjoy Race's written response to my list of questions as much as I did! On behalf of the LDN, thank you, Race. We all wish you nothing but the best!

Response from Race Steinfort

I’ve been at the USAF Academy for almost three years now. I am currently a Second Class Cadet (junior) and I am still happy with my decision to come, though during my Fourth Class year (freshman) I wasn’t so sure about that one.

[Marshal Haylett and Lincolnite Race Steinfort, teammates on the U.S. Air Force Academy swim team, the Falcons, pose on a crisp-looking day in the Colorado Rockies.]

The application process was a pretty lengthy one. It entailed sending in an application to both the academy and my congressmen, including my representative, the Illinois senators and the vice president. Any of those four government officials could give me a nomination to the academy. Rep. Dick Durbin gave me my nomination. The process for nomination consisted of a few questionnaires and an interview. The next step was to get accepted to the academy. This consisted of a physical fitness test, a very lengthy application with everything from medical history to police records to exactly why I wanted to attend the academy, an interview with an Air Force liaison officer, and an essay on why I wanted to come and what I wanted to do in the Air Force.

One of my requirements for a college was Division I swimming, with the other being aeronautical engineering. I planned on swimming here, and there’s no doubt that it has helped me make it through here. I have been one of the top backstrokers here, placing sixth in both the 100 back and 200 back at the Mountain West Conference, with a 50.02 and a 1:50.09 respectively. My best swim at that meet was in the morning, where I finally broke 1:50 in the 200 back to go a 1:49.39, my lifetime best.

We do get to travel quite a bit. We usually alternate with teams, going to their place one year and having them here the next. The main teams we always swim against are University of Washington, BYU, Utah, UNLV and Wyoming, to name a few. We also travel during Christmas break. We usually leave shortly after Christmas to go somewhere warm like California or Florida to train day in and day out for a little over a week.

[to top of second column in this section]

The question of whether or not being intercollegiate is an advantage is a pretty tough one. Yes, it has helped me a lot, but it has also made some aspects of life more difficult. The best part of being on a team here is the camaraderie and the friendships. We have a very close team here, and all the guys on the team look out for each other like brothers.

The hardest part of the academy is the loss of freedom during freshman year. You come from a high school where you are at the top of the chain, and you walk into a place where you are worth less than the dirt on the ground. It provides quite a bit of emotional stress among other things. I seriously doubted why I came, and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to stay. Everyone was always yelling at me and nothing seemed to be good enough. There was dust inside the smoke detector, a spot on the sink and my shoes were NEVER shiny enough (just a few of the things they’d pick on). The goal was to put as much stress on us as possible to weed out the people who didn’t want to be there and teach the rest of us how to deal with stress. That was pretty much all of basic training and freshman year.

This is where swimming and the team really helped me to get away and remember that I do have friends, and mainly, I wasn’t in this alone. Going down to the pool every day also helps to get away from the academic grind.

This, however, is also where sports are not so much an advantage. We, as intercollegiates, do not have a lighter academic load than anyone else here, despite the fact that we have three to four hours of our afternoon devoted to practice. This provides for many late nights and long weekends doing homework and studying. I’m taking 22.5 hours this semester as well as swimming for three hours every afternoon. Along with this, we, as cadets, have mandatory formations, In Rank Inspections (IRIs—uniform inspections) and Additional Morning Inspections (AMIs—room inspections) which we have to prepare and clean for at least twice a week and sometimes more depending on the leadership and how we did the previous week.

Traveling with the team is another bonus, in that for a weekend or at least a day or two you get to leave the academy and get away for a while. The only problem with that is that you miss classes and usually fall behind in the process, and catching up with 22 hours is not easy! Despite the disadvantages, the friends and the break from the grind for a day or two or even just a few hours in the day make being an intercollegiate well worth it in my mind.

(To be continued)

[click here for Part 2]

Announcements

Play ball with the Lincoln Park District

From Roy Logan, program coordinator

[APRIL 26, 2001]  The phase "play ball" is echoing all around the Lincoln Park District.  Teams for boys and girls have been chosen and practices are in full swing.  Registration for men's and women's softball is currently under way.  If you have not come to the office to pick up your roster and information, you will want to do so soon.

A new league offered this summer is Co-ed Over 40.  This league is strictly for the recreational player.  The season will not last as long.  Play will be at Memorial Park on Thursday nights.

The success of Lincoln's summer baseball and softball programs is directly related to the many local businesses that support the teams financially.  In these times of rising utilities and gas prices, we urge you to support the businesses whose names appear on the team shirts.  It takes not only money but volunteers as well.  Our thanks to the many people who donate their time and talent to coaching and keeping a great game on track.

Golf outing planned

[APRIL 12, 2001]  Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation has set Friday, June 29, for their seventh annual golf outing at the Elk’s Country Club in Lincoln.

The format will again be a four-person scramble with a 7:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. shotgun start. The $75 entry fee includes greens fee and free cart rental, along with opportunities to win prizes and awards, including Hole-in-One, Top Foursomes, Longest Putt, Longest Drive and Closest to the Pin, for both men and women. Also provided are a continental breakfast and buffet luncheon.

In addition to golfing, a variety of sponsorships are available, including Tee, Cart and Prize Sponsorships. Appropriate recognition and benefits are provided for each sponsor.

All funds raised from the golf outing support the ALMH Care-A-Van service. The Care-A-Van is a specially equipped van, custom-built to provide non-emergency transportation for individuals who are wheelchair-bound or need transportation assistance to get to necessary appointments.

For more information on player registration or sponsorship opportunities, please call Cynthia Kelley at (217) 732-2161, Ext. 405.

[News release]

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