Marengo’s Melson to pitch for UIC softball

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Softball pitcher Lindsay Melson wrestled with her college decision for several months, with NCAA Division I Louisville and University of Illinois-Chicago leading the way.

D-II Rollins University, in Winter Park, Fla., also entered the mix late in the summer.

The picture became clearer recently when Melson received a full scholarship offer from UIC, something that does not happen often in softball.

Melson, who pitched at Harvard last season and transferred to Marengo this year, committed to Flames coach Michelle Venturella on Wednesday. In the summer, Melson was leaning toward Louisville, a school she had visited several times.

“Honestly, I feel tremendously blessed right now,” Melson said. “I’m so lucky to have this opportunity. I started thinking about it realistically. I’m very close to my family and didn’t want to go too far away. The coaching staff is great, and I loved the girls. It just makes sense for me.”

Venturella played for six years on the U.S. national team and won gold medals in the 1998 world championships and in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Eileen Canney, who pitches for the U.S. national team, is UIC’s new pitching coach.

“I am so excited about that,” Melson said.

At one tournament with the McHenry County Heatwave 18U team this summer, Louisville pitching coach Courtney Scott and former UIC pitching coach Amanda Scott, who are sisters, both watched her pitch. Amanda Scott since took the head coaching job at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Melson was clocked at 64 mph on a speed gun last month at a showcase at Rollins.

“My earliest memories are of softball,” Melson said. “I was always going to my dad (Jim’s) softball games or my brother (Ryan’s) baseball games.”

What a weekend: The McHenry County area had one of its best weekends ever in terms of state tournament results.

Hampshire’s Connie Ellett finished second and Crystal Lake Central’s Lexi Harkins was third in the IHSA Class AA Girls Golf State Tournament at Hickory Point in Forsyth.

Marian Central’s Luke Waggoner was the Class 2A Boys Golf State Tournament runner-up. Waggoner tied Marion’s Jaret Brewer in regulation, then lost on the first sudden-death playoff hole at Illinois State University’s Weibring Golf Club.

Crystal Lake South’s Nick Robles finished third in the Class 3A Boys Golf State Tournament at The Den at Fox Creek in Bloomington. Robles’ third came after his runner-up finish last year.

Robles and Waggoner both came up short of state titles in similar fashion. Robles hit his tee shot out of bounds last year and lost on the first playoff hole. Waggoner’s tee shot landed among some trees, which led to a bogey, while Brewer made par.

Four top-three finishes in state tournaments may be a tough one for area golfers to top for a long time.

• Joe Stevenson is a senior sports writer for the Northwest Herald. He can be reached by email at joestevenson@shawmedia.com.