Springfield has a new indoor facility for softball and baseball players to work on improving their games.
Buck Fastpitch Academy, 1200 N. Bradfordton Road, held its grand opening Nov. 21. The facility is run by Tina Buck, a former NCAA Division II softball pitcher at the University of Illinois Springfield. The academy is now accepting new clients and offers batting cage and pitching tunnel rentals.
Buck said she decided to open her academy after noticing a need locally for this type of facility for softball players. It's a need she said arises from the fact that softball is a growing sport and that there aren't enough indoor facilities available for the thousands of players who want to play the game year-round to keep their skills sharp.
"This is going to give people the opportunities to play all year round so that when they do play the Chicago and St. Louis teams and they travel south, they're able to still compete at that level, being able to get more reps in throughout the year," Buck said.
Buck was featured by The State Journal-Register on November 29, 2015.
Read the story online.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Harmon, Millison lead UIS men to basketball win
The University of Illinois Springfield men's basketball team led by 14 points at halftime and held off an Ohio Dominican rally to win 77-70 Saturday at the Saint Joseph’s College Thanksgiving Classic.
Trent Weaver’s jumper cut UIS’ lead to 73-68 with 49 seconds remaining. The Prairie Stars’ Jamall Millison missed two free throws and Ohio Dominican’s Ryan Hoyng grabbed the rebound. Hoyng passed the ball to Sherman Waugh, whose layup with 29 seconds left got the Panthers within three points. UIS’ Paxton Harmon and Millison each converted two foul shots in the final 20 seconds, while Ohio Dominican missed two shots.
Harmon and Millison scored 18 points apiece. Harmon had five rebounds and made four of the Stars’ 12 3-pointers. Davi Austin and JJ Cravatta had 12 points apiece for UIS. Vince Walker added 10.
The win snapped the Stars’ two-game losing streak and moved their record to 3-3. UIS was ahead 38-24 at halftime.
The win was featured by The State Journal-Register on November 29, 2015.
Read the article online.
Trent Weaver’s jumper cut UIS’ lead to 73-68 with 49 seconds remaining. The Prairie Stars’ Jamall Millison missed two free throws and Ohio Dominican’s Ryan Hoyng grabbed the rebound. Hoyng passed the ball to Sherman Waugh, whose layup with 29 seconds left got the Panthers within three points. UIS’ Paxton Harmon and Millison each converted two foul shots in the final 20 seconds, while Ohio Dominican missed two shots.
Harmon and Millison scored 18 points apiece. Harmon had five rebounds and made four of the Stars’ 12 3-pointers. Davi Austin and JJ Cravatta had 12 points apiece for UIS. Vince Walker added 10.
The win snapped the Stars’ two-game losing streak and moved their record to 3-3. UIS was ahead 38-24 at halftime.
The win was featured by The State Journal-Register on November 29, 2015.
Read the article online.
UIS' largest baseball recruiting class ever includes 12 pitchers
University of Illinois Springfield baseball coach Chris Ramirez signed 13 high school players and one junior college transfer during the early signing period.
Chase Lowman was a freshman pitcher at Odessa (Texas) College last spring. He allowed 50 hits and 23 walks in 27 2/3 innings. Lowman, who is from League City, Texas, had 19 strikeouts and a 15.61 earned run average.
Twelve of the 14 players who signed with the Prairie Stars are pitchers. With UIS expected to graduate eight pitchers from the 2016 spring roster, Ramirez needed to load up on arms.
The team was featured by The State Journal-Register on November 26, 2015.
Read the story online.
Chase Lowman was a freshman pitcher at Odessa (Texas) College last spring. He allowed 50 hits and 23 walks in 27 2/3 innings. Lowman, who is from League City, Texas, had 19 strikeouts and a 15.61 earned run average.
Twelve of the 14 players who signed with the Prairie Stars are pitchers. With UIS expected to graduate eight pitchers from the 2016 spring roster, Ramirez needed to load up on arms.
The team was featured by The State Journal-Register on November 26, 2015.
Read the story online.
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