Top Spring Athlete: Evergreen Park's Putlak Saves Best for Last

Michelle Putlak, Evergreen Park, junior, softball pitcher

Major Accomplishments/Awards

• Putlak finished the season with a 13-7 record overall and a 9-3 record in the South Suburban Conference.
• In 157 innings pitched this past season, she allowed only 57 earned runs and she recorded 148 strikeouts.
• She stepped up her game in the playoffs, leading the Mustangs to the Oak Forest Sectional championship game. She had a 3-1 record in the playoffs with 30 strikeouts in 28 innings pitched. She had two shutouts in the playoffs, and allowed only seven total earned runs.

John O’Connor: Coach’s Tribute

Evergreen Park coach John O’Connor recalled how Putlak developed into a better pitcher as the season progressed. Putlak pitched in Evergreen Park’s 4-1 loss to Chicago Christian to open the season.

“As the season went on, she just kept getting stronger and stronger,” O’Connor said.

While O’Connor said Putlak pitched great games in losses at Reavis and Richards, things started to turn around for her and the team in an 8-4 win at home against Reavis.

“Since that time she was pretty much unhittable all the way through the playoffs until we came to that last game. And, to be honest with you, I think if the weather didn’t turn to 95 degrees on that last day against Oak Forest, we might have seen a different outcome with her pitching in that game,” O’Connor said.

Putlak suffers from asthma and pitches better in colder weather, according to O’Connor.

In the playoffs, Putlak was nearly unhittable through the first three games. She pitched a no-hitter against Rich East, a one-hitter against Kankakee, and a complete game against Joliet Catholic Academy.

Personal

Putlak has another season to help Evergreen Park improve upon its sectional final appearance of this past season. After she graduates in 2012, Putlak hopes to play softball in college, . Schools on her short list include UIC, Loyola and Illinois Wesleyan.