My Sister (and dad) are famous!

Local softball team will play game at CMU

Kari Seddon and Tracy Kaatz will have some extra fans cheering for them Saturday afternoon at the Central Michigan University softball field.

Watching the Chippewas play a Mid-American Conference game against Akron will be the St. Clair Starz, a 12-and-under fast-pitch tournament softball team.

After the contest, the Starz will get the opportunity to play on the field against Back Door of Mount Pleasant.

"It's going to be unbelievable to play on their field," Starz Coach Jon Watt said. "It will be a neat situation for the girls.

"We were coming up to watch Kari play anyways, and when I talked with Margo (Jonker, CMU coach), she mentioned playing a game.

"I really thought they would stick us out back on one of the intramural fields."

The CMU-Akron game is scheduled for 2 p.m. After the game there is a reception at the field, which will be renamed Margo Jonker Field.

Seddon, a sophomore from St. Clair, pitches and plays first base. Kaatz, a Richmond grad, is a junior centerfielder and is ranked No. 2 nationally in steals per game.

The Starz and Back Door will play a six-inning contest after the reception.

"It would be really cool if Kari pitches," Watt said. "I think in softball they pitch whoever is hot, and she has been pitching very well.

"Before our all-star districts last year, Kari worked with our pitchers. The other girls also got to know her because she worked with many of them one-on-one."

The Starz, who are one of four youth fast-pitch softball teams in St. Clair, will play in six tournaments this summer.

Getting a jump on the outdoor season, the Starz competed in two indoor tournaments this winter. They won the Wixom Tournament with a 3-0 record and lost 4-2 to Middlebury, Ind., in the finals of the Grand Blanc Tournament.

Watt has entered the team in two tournaments in Richmond, one in Lake Orion, Mount Clemens, Plymouth Canton and Holland (Memorial Day weekend).

Rotating in the outfield are Karly Humes, Erin Kenny, Paige McComas, Allie Miller, Taylor Stone and Carlie Thueme of St. Clair. Thueme also plays on the infield.

The infield consists of Bailey Dembinski at catcher, Katie Lawson at first base, Haley Schweiger at second, shortstop Brittany Schweiger and Alex Heythaler at third.

Haley Schweiger attends St. Augustine Catholic School in Richmond.

The pitching staff is made up of Jalissa Watt, Brittany Schweiger and Lawson of Fort Gratiot.

Dean Schweiger and Michelle Lawson assists Watt.