Lincoln-Way East senior Katie Stewart has hit a lot of home runs during her career.
None, however, have had quite the impact like the one she hit April 18 for the host Griffins against Lockport.
That one crash-landed on a track meet.
“I’m not exactly sure, but I think they were in the middle of a race,” Stewart said. “The ball hit one of the runners’ feet. But I think they just kept going.
“I’ve had some that went on the track, but this was the first one that happened during a meet.”
Stewart, a Texas recruit, is batting .480 with 11 home runs and 26 RBIs for Lincoln-Way East (11-3). She’s a defensive anchor at shortstop, although in college, she will likely play a corner position.
The track shots are only the tip of what impresses Griffins coach Elizabeth Hyland.
“She’s so powerful, but Katie is also such a smart hitter,” Hyland said. “She knows what they are going to pitch her. She understands what they’re going to do and why they’re doing it.
“She hits with a purpose.”
Katie is the last in her family to star for Lincoln-Way East. Sam graduated in 2013 and went on to play at Valparaiso. Danielle graduated in 2022 and is a freshman at Northern Illinois.
Last season, Katie and Danielle both earned all-area honors in what would be the last of many years playing together.
“It meant a lot,” Katie said. “To be able to close out Danielle’s high school season was pretty great. It held a lot of sentiment to me.”
They still talk — often.
“Earlier this season, I was down in a mood when I wasn’t hitting well,” Stewart said. “I called Danielle and we talked for a good 45 minutes while I vented out my emotions. She told me how I just need to relax and have fun my senior season.
“I took that to heart. It’s improving. I’m getting there.”
Can’t stop her: Senior shortstop Lizzie Sedakis has been as close as one could get to being an impossible out this season for Chicago Christian.
Knights coach Kevin Pittman can count the ways with two fingers the amount of times she has been retired.
“One was a sacrifice fly that drove in a run,” Pittman said. “The other was a line-drive missile that the third baseman snared about ankle high.
“I mean, it’s crazy. She either gets a hit or she walks.”
Through 11 games, the Loyola recruit is batting .941 with five doubles, three triples, four home runs and 29 RBIs for the Knights (5-6). She also has 28 runs and 13 stolen bases.
“This girl hits nonstop,” Pittman said. “If we practice and hit, she’ll go home and hit in the cage for another couple of hours. She works at a place where she teaches hitting and she hits there.
“I have no idea how many balls Lizzie hits during a week. But if there is anybody doing more than she is, I want to see them. She is the best hitter I’ve ever been around.”
The winner is: Evergreen Park senior Dora Cihocki is wrapping up her fourth and final year as a three-sport athlete.
In college, she’ll be living the diamond life at North Park.
“Over the past year, I was kind of going back and forth between softball and basketball,” Cihocki said. “I ultimately decided that softball was the best fit. I’ve loved softball my entire life.”
Cihocki was a middle hitter in volleyball and a center in basketball. In softball, she plays first base and catches. She’ll leave Evergreen Park with 12 varsity letters.
“Just kind of finishing out, I said, ‘It’s been a very successful four years,'” Cihocki said. “And now it’s exciting that I’m going to get to finish my senior year on a high note.”