Griffins Coach Says Strikeout Breast Cancer Day Meant Something to Her Players

Saturday’s softball game between the Oak Forest Bengals and Lincoln-Way East Griffins — taken by the Bengals with a walk-off homerun — was Strikeout Breast Cancer Day.

The players wore pink in honor of the breast cancer fundraiser.

In addition to the game, raffle tickets were sold and there was a candy stand, provided by Popcorn Town & Candyland, among other ways to raise money.

The money raised for breast cancer was sent to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

“Having two great teams play gets people to come out,” Lincoln-Way East coach Katie Meader said. “But then having this fun aspect as well, it just encourages people to come out and do something good that maybe they don’t get the chance to do every day.”

Oak Forest coach Paige Stryczek offered a similar sentiment.

“The game in itself is fun, but bringing in an added breast-cancer theme to it, I think makes all the girls respect what they do a little bit more and gives them the opportunity to raise some money for a good cause,” she said.

Iron Sharpens Iron

With the postseason starting this week, both Oak Forest and Lincoln-Way East relished the opportunity to play each other, with the game serving as an opportunity to face a quality opponent one last time.

“We know that they’re going to be coached well,” Stryczek said. “They know we’re going to be coached well, it’s two good pitchers, two good defensive teams and two good hitting teams.”

Despite the loss, Meader said her team improved by taking on the red-hot Bengals. (Since Tuesday, the Bengals have defeated Lincoln-Way West, Lake Park, Bremen, and then .)

“Even though we’re walking away with a loss, I think we’re walking away with some important information to go into next week with our practice and our games,” she said.