Softball team stays undefeated

By Johnny Stacewicz

“Honestly, my favorite part of being a [softball] manager is listening to Tim Feeley sing songs from Glee everyday,” said Mia Irizarray, Div. 279.

The laid back attitude of the players and the constant jokes that surround team practices disappears, however, come game time. The team knows when to get serious.

After beating Kennedy on Wednesday, the team’s record improved to an impressive 24-0, which has surprised neither coaches or players.

“The chemistry and the raw talent on the team is absolutely insane,” said Patrick O’Connell, Div. 182, the longest tenured player on the team.

Coach Stravakis, who has been coaching boys’ softball for seven years, has never had a more talented group.

“[This year’s team] is the most talented group we have had in the last seven years. [However,] that does not guarantee us anything,” Stravakis said.

One of the biggest differences of this year’s team is that for the first time in recent years some of the more talented player’s on the Varsity Baseball Team tried out. Jackson Perri, Div. 185, who is being scouted by some Division III schools for baseball, decided to play softball his senior year. Previously, he had refused to play softball because he thought it would negatively affect him in baseball.

In last year’s October issue of the Warrior, Perri was quoted as saying, “I was always good at softball, but I didn’t try out because I felt it would mess up my swing in baseball.”

Perri had a change of heart, however, and now is the starting left fielder on the softball team – the same position he can be found playing on the baseball field come spring time.

“I have always played softball. I figured it was my senior year. There is no next year. I just said, ‘screw it. I am going to play’,” Perri said.

Tim Feeley, Div. 155, a pitcher on the Varisty baseball team, is also in his rookie season as a softball player.

“The great history and tradition is what really drew me to softball. I have wanted to play since freshman year, but because of baseball I couldn’t,” Feeley said.

Anthony Morici, Div. 168, who played baseball freshman and sophomore year, enjoys the more-laid back attitude of softball.

“[I like softball more because] it’s more laid back and we are actually going to win,” he said.

The team has won all but four of their games by slaughter rule. The team made it to the City semi-finals beating Phoenix Military Academy on Oct. 18, and Kennedy on Oct. 20. The City championship, scheduled to be played at UIC on Oct. 25, did not have a result at press time.

Stravakis wants his team to stay focused and humble. He is encouraging players and fans to remember that their success is due to a complete team effort, and not purely because this year’s team has baseball players on the roster.

“I didn’t know we had baseball players, but I will say that our success has come from all of our softball players contributing,” Stravakis said.

Feeley’s off pitch singing has been somewhat of a good luck charm. As painful as it is to his teammates ears, they hope it continues all the way to UIC.