Kreamalmeyer rises to the top for Shepard
Third baseman hits two home runs, including one inside the park, as Astros rout Richards
As she rounded second base and headed for third, Shepard’s Sarah Kreamalmeyer was pretty happy with what she thought would be a triple.
Then came a surprise. Third base coach Andy Schindel kept waving.
“I most definitely wasn’t expecting him to send me home,” Kreamalmeyer said. “I was like, ‘OK, we’ve got to go. We’re going to be safe.’ I just went for it.”
After a headfirst dive, she was indeed safe.
And the oxygen tank?
“I had a little bit left,” Kreamalmeyer said, laughing.
It wasn’t the only time Kreamalmeyer rounded the bases Monday in a 12-0 South Suburban Red victory over host Richards.
The sophomore third baseman went 3-for-3, also hitting a grand slam. Demi Sanders added two hits, including a home run, for Shepard (14-2, 9-0).
Senior pitcher Kelly Greene threw a two-hitter, striking out 14. The Green Bay commit established herself as the all-time program career leader in strikeouts.
Abby Mallo and Bridget Walsh had base hits for Richards (9-6, 7-5).
Shepard coach Kelsey Clifford gave Kreamalmeyer a surprise just before the start of the season.
It happened in class during second period.
“Coach pulled me aside and had a talk with me,” Kreamalmeyer said. “She said, ‘I think you will be great as a part of our team. You’ll do a good job not only as a player but a person as well.’
“She said being surrounded by the other girls will make me a better player. And she said she was going to give me a jersey.”
Kreamalmeyer hasn’t disappointed. Her two home runs Monday put her at four on the season. She’s also batting .458 with 20 RBIs.
Clifford fought the temptation to surprise Kreamalmeyer much earlier.
“Sarah has been on our radar since freshman year,” Clifford said. “We left her on the JV just to build up experience and see more at-bats.
“I pull younger kids up if they
are going to see quality time on the field. Last year in that situation, we just didn’t have the innings for her.”
This season, Kreamalmeyer has been strong at the plate and steady at third base. She was a perfect 2-for-2 on chances Monday, turning two tough choppers down the line into routine plays.
“Last season, Sarah knew exactly
what she had to do,” Clifford said. “She came out this season and we put her at the hot corner. She’s been phenomenal there. She’s aggressive and gritty, and we’re working on keeping her composure and having good pitch selection.
“We saw that in this game. We talk about how to know what is in your power zone, what are pitches you can do things with. She was able to execute that. I’m really proud of her.”
Fitting in? No problem. “Sarah is our only underclassman,” Greene said. “She’s our baby, but she doesn’t play like it. She plays really big. She works hard, takes criticism well, and she’s really focused at the plate.”
Greene’s 14 strikeouts left her at 327 for her career. The previous record-holder was 2019 graduate Bridget McDermott, who finished her career with 320. McDermott is in her junior season at St. Francis.
“Bridget was on the team as a senior when I was a freshman,” Greene said. “She was my mentor and showed me the ropes. I took it from there.
“I was thinking about the record as a freshman. I always looked up Bridget’s numbers. I was shooting for the stars.”
And now Green is the strikeout queen for Shepard.
“It’s really exciting,” she said. “I couldn’t have done it without everybody on the team. Marissa (Lamaster) works so hard behind the plate. Coach does a great job calling the pitches.
“All the relationships I’ve built have helped me. It’s been a lot of fun.”