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Chicago Pioneers Win 2011 EWBC Diamond Classic
 The 2011 Diamond Classic was the Pioneers "Elite" Tournament Team's first women's baseball championship. The "Elite" team has been in championship games before, but had never won before--until yesterday! While several of the younger Pioneers teams have experienced wins through the years, our more seasoned players were still eager to reach the winner's circle. The wait is finally over.
The Pioneers were seeded #1 after 4 games of pool play due to a 3-1 record, the fewest runs allowed and the most runs scored. In the championship game played at Joe Cannon Stadium at 10 a.m. on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30, the Pioneers were victorious against the Philadelphia Independence, 3-1, a team which had won the championship in both 2007 & 2008. Additionally, the Philadelphia team had played in the Diamond Classic's championship game four out of the last five years. The Independence boasted current and former Women's National Team players, Kristen Caldwell, Laura Brenneman, Teresa MacGregor, and Jennifer Hughes on its roster. Caldwell pitched the championship game against the Pioneers.
This was the Pioneers third appearance at the Diamond Classic in as many years. In 2009, the Pioneers played in the championship game, but fell short to Boston (which did not attend the tournament in 2011), and in 2010, the Pioneers did not make it past the pool play round.
It was great having the team with Ashley, Stacy, Lindsay, and Joni all together again after 3 years. And two Georgia "peaches", Sandy Almon and Casey Nellums proved to be two great additions to the team. Two more "original" Pioneers Danielle Pauly and Natalie Martinez (along with Lindsay and Joni) made the trip. Pauly did a fantastic job as the team's starting catcher and Martinez contributed several key hits and defensive plays in the outfield. Rounding out the 2011 squad......sisters, Lauren and Susanne Boden, Allison Merims, Christie Spisak, and Alyssa De Chene. Hannah Accardy, while on the original roster, was a late scratch due to illness. The tournament director asked for each team to select an MVP, as it was a great team effort that saw contributions from every player....
the coaches selected the entire Pioneers team "MVP". Congratulations PIONEERS!
Pioneers Welcome Players for Tournament/Travel
 Play baseball with the Chicago Pioneers tournament teams. The Pioneers play in both elite and youth divisions of national and international women's tournaments. The Pioneers welcome players from other areas of the country, as well as local players, who wish to play baseball at either level. For more information, contact the Pioneers
Play Travel Baseball with the Chicago Pioneers
 After your house season come play travel baseball with the Chicago Pioneers in the Travel Ball North Shore Baseball League. The league accommodates girls ages 7-16 who play with the Pioneers on all-girls teams.
The league plays a sixteen game schedule plus play-offs, May-July . Please check out the TBNSBL Information link to the left on the navigation bar. For more information contact Mary Jo Stegeman at 847-707-8944 or maryjo@chicagopioneers.com
Pioneers join the North Shore Baseball League ...
During the winter leading up to the 2007 baseball season, the Pioneers petitioned the then all-boys North Shore Baseball League (NSBL) for admittance into the league with teams made up of all-girls. After much discussion and debate, the Pioneers were accepted into the league beginning in 2007. The Pioneers played the league's traditional 16-game schedule in the 14U "B" division that first year. Girls, ages 12-15 as of April 30, 2007 (including female HS freshmen), were eligible to play. The Pioneers carried a roster of 16 girls. The season began on June 9 and ended July 24. The Conference Tournament was July 27 - 29, 2007. Check out some pictures of the Pioneers playing in a game against Deerfield that first year...... photos by Allison Williams
The Pioneers won one game in 2007, but the parents, players, and coaches worked hard and by the 2010 season, the Pioneers were league champions. Read more ...
In 2011, the nearly 25 year old league changed its name to the Travel Ball North Shore Baseball League. 2012 will mark the 6th year in a row that the Pioneers have played in the league.
The American Women's Baseball Federation
is the parent organization of the Chicago Pioneers. The AWBF is a tax-exempt nonprofit amateur sports organization whose purpose is to promote baseball as a mainstream and lifetime opportunity for women. Since 1992 the AWBF has organized 21 regional, national and international baseball tournaments including the first four Women's World Series. The AWBF maintains a database of players interested in trying out for the USA Baseball women's national team.
Contact us for more info
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The Chicago Pioneers Girls Baseball program is for girls and female, young adults who want to play baseball on peer group teams of similar ability level, age, and same gender. The Pioneers program facilitates opportunities for girls to train in an all-girls setting and to play baseball in leagues and tournaments, as members of all-female teams. Started in 2006, the Chicago Pioneers are the reigning Women's Baseball National Champions, Girls World Series Champions, and 15U Girls Baseball National Champions.
The women's national tournament ended with an exciting extra-inning championship game between two powerhouse women's teams. The current six time reigning champion, New England Red Sox were edged 6-5 by the Chicago Pioneers.