1988 World Series Team
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1988 WORLD SERIES TEAM The 1988 season was a very special time beat host Bowling Green, 4-3, before losing in Huskie softball history. Head coach Dee to Illinois State by a 1-0 margin and falling 1988 NIU Softball Letterwinners Abrahamson’s Huskies were ranked as high into the loser’s bracket in the double- as No. 10 nationally by mid-season and elimination format. Thanks to a triple play, Sue Alexander (Lemont, Ill./Oak Lawn) between April and May, NIU embarked on a Northern Illinois topped ISU in the rematch, Kathy Bulow (Oak Lawn, Ill./Oak Lawn) school-record 16-game winning streak. 3-1, and then Gilfoy’s home run spelled the Susie Conway (Morton, Ill./Chicago The potent Northern Illinois line-up difference in the 2-0 final in the title game. Academy of Our Lady) featured a three-time, first-team All-America Justin, Faletti, Schrader, and Gilfoy all made Kim Crotinger (Monticello, Ill./Monticello) selection and four Academic All-America the All-Midwest team. Shari Edwards (Nesconset, N.Y./ picks. The 35-11 overall record represented The Huskies joined the country’s softball Smithtown East) the best team winning percentage (.761) in elite, No. 1-ranked UCLA, Fresno State, Pat Faletti (Braidwood, Ill./Reed-Custer) the program’s history. By season’s end, not Texas A&M, Adelphi, Arizona, Cal Poly- Lisa Gilfoy (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) only did NIU go 9-0 at home, but managed Pomona, and Nebraska in Sunnyvale, Jennie Hughes (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) an impressive 10-4 ledger vs. the country’s Calif. Seeded No. 8, Northern Illinois was (Moline, Ill./Moline) Top 20. matched against eventual champion UCLA Heidi Hutchison The Huskies became the first Division in the first round. An unearned run in the Jill Justin (Oak Lawn, Ill./Richards) I program to advance to the softball Final first inning proved to be the difference as Sue Kause (South Holland, Ill./ Eight in its initial NCAA appearance. The the Huskies fell, 1-0. Thornwood) Huskies finished the season ranked No. 11 NIU’s best was certainly enough to draw Lynn Lacy (Wheaton, Ill./Central) in the NCAA in team batting average (.302) a compliment from UCLA head coach Maria Leake (South Bend, Ind./LaSalle) and team earned run average (0.88) and Sharon Backus, whose Bruin team claimed Laura Peterson (Buffalo Grove, Ill./ No. 13 in team fielding (.964). its fourth national crown in seven years. Lincolnshire Stevenson) The idyllic trip into the nation’s Top 20 “I didn’t have any idea about Northern Jennifer Preston (Kankakee, Ill./ and the College World Series was fueled Illinois except what I read in their guide Kankakee) by a mixture of chemistry, strong talent, a and in the papers,” she said. “I was quite Jeanne Richeal (Verona, Wis./Verona) balance of offense, defense and pitching, impressed with their confidence and the Beth Schrader (Wheaton, Ill./Central) heads-up play, a strong goal-oriented focus way they came to play.” Julie Sexton (Antioch, Ill./Antioch) and dedicated coaching. The dream season ended two days later Amy Veld (South Holland, Ill./ From the start of March, Abrahamson in a 3-0 setback to defending champion Thornwood) thought her team could be “good.” Northern Texas A&M. Mgr. Cory Wilensky (Tinley Park, Ill.) Illinois had 13 lettterwinners back from a “The tough thing about making the (NCAA) 24-25 team that tasted some success by tourney is that you either end on a loss or placing seventh at the National Invitational as a national champion,” Abrahamson said. It takes some adjusting through regionals Championships in 1987. The club also “Making the tournament was a big step. I and nationals. It’s an experience that they’ll boasted four experienced seniors: catcher think we played really well when we had to. (NIU players) never forget.” Pat Faletti, first baseman Sue Kause, second baseman Laura Peterson, and shortstop Amy Veld. The Huskies finished runner-up at the Florida State Invitational, splitting with the nationally-ranked hosts. A month later, Northern Illinois won the Iowa State Cyclone Classic by beating No. 8-rated Illinois State, No. 16 Iowa State and No. 19 Nebraska. Two days later, Abrahamson’s club ascended to the No. 10 spot in the NCAA Division I poll. The Huskies dominated the North Star Conference Tournament as that event turned into the Northern Illinois Invitational for more reasons than its DeKalb location. Junior pitcher Beth Schrader, who won 24 of 29 decisions and ranked among the NCAA leaders in ERA (No. 12 at 0.58) and victories (No. 15 with 24) that spring, earned the “W” in three straight NSC triumphs against Dayton (16-0), Valparaiso (3-1) and DePaul (8-1). Six Huskies---Jill Justin, Schrader, Faletti, Kause, Lisa Gilfoy and Julie Sexton---made the all-tourney Front Row (left to right): Jill Justin, Susie Conway, Beth Schrader, Heidi Hutchison, Kim Crotinger. squad. Justin and Faletti shared the NSC Middle Row: Head coach Dee Abrahamson, Jeanne Richeal, Jennie Hughes, Pat Faletti, Amy Most Valuable Player honors. Veld, Julie Sexton, Sue Kause, assistant coach Donna Martin. Back Row: Trainer Barb Pearson, At the NCAA Regional, Northern Illinois Lynn Lacy, Maria Leake, Kathy Bulow, Lisa Gilfoy, Sue Alexander, Laura Peterson, Shari Edwards, assistant trainer Peg Chilvers www.niuhuskies.com 1 NIU Softball NIU vs. ... 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