Latest news with #Yorkville
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Bella Phillips, with Bunny written on her arm, helps Yorkville hop past Waubonsie Valley. ‘It's like my alter ego.'
Word up, Foxes. It's playoff time for senior shortstop Bella Phillips and her Yorkville teammates, and that means sporting their very own word or phrase of the day on their forearm for game day. It's a practice that can help ease the tension in one-loss-and-you're-done games. It can inspire, remind or simply be fun. 'We very much have a family chemistry and we all buy into the season and we work really hard and push each other,' said Phillips, described by Foxes coach Jory Regnier as a natural leader who plays a key role in building her team's culture. Phillips was among three key contributors bearing apropos messages in a 10-0 five-inning win Tuesday over Waubonsie Valley in a Class 4A Yorkville Regional semifinal — Phillips with 'Bunny,' junior catcher Kayla Kersting with 'Beast mode' and junior pitcher Ellie Fox with 'Confidence.' Fourth-seeded Yorkville (23-12) advances to a 4:30 p.m. Friday regional final against the winner of Wednesday's semifinal between fifth-seeded Plainfield East and 12th-seeded Naperville North. Phillips, meanwhile, got Yorkville rolling against 13th-seeded Waubonsie Valley (9-20) with an RBI single to highlight a three-run first inning. She then sliced a liner toward the right field line and legged out an RBI triple in the third. She celebrated with a rabbit-like hop at the third base bag to the delight of teammates in the nearby dugout. ''Bunny' is from softball,' said Phillips, who's also a starting guard in basketball. 'It's like my alter ego. I have like a funny (high-pitched) voice that goes with it, keeping like a positive mindset and cheering on the team.' Phillips isn't sure how that started, but after one of the assistant coaches heard Phillips doing the voice, Kersting said it became like a running joke from there that has helped keep the team loose. 'She's so funny — she's our comic,' said Kersting, the team's power-hitting leadoff hitter. Kersting hit three deep outfield drives into the wind that might have gone out on a calm day, running out two for triples. She was robbed by sophomore center fielder Dezirae Kelly with an outstanding sliding catch at the fence. 'Kayla brings the big hits for us for sure,' said Phillips, a defensive standout who has held up her end at the plate by hitting .337 with three doubles, four triples and 15 RBIs. Kersting, who leads the team with a gaudy .598 average to go with 12 triples, 10 homers and 38 RBIs, didn't mind having to work for her hits Tuesday. 'I like running the bases,' Kersting said. 'It's pretty easy to get triples here if you hit it in the gap, with the eight-foot fence all the way around. You really have to hit it to get it out.' Fox, a hard-throwing junior right-hander, pitched with confidence for the win, striking out six and giving up only three hits and a walk in her four innings. 'She did a great job,' Regnier said of Fox. 'Came in and was lights out.' Freshman righty Bella Rosauer struck out two in the fifth inning to get some playoff experience. This postseason run will be it for Phillips and her athletic career, however. She plans to attend Iowa State and major in marketing. 'I think she's had a phenomenal year,' Regnier said of Phillips. 'She just really has put it all out there. She's that person that helps get everything together and organizes, makes sure things get done the way they're supposed to get done. 'She has high standards and is part of a senior group that's big on our culture.' Over the last six seasons, it has helped Regnier's Foxes win 75% of their games by compiling a 155-51 record. 'Bella will do anything for the team,' Regnier said. 'She even went behind the plate last year when Kayla was hurt. She didn't love it, but she'd do it tomorrow if we asked and do her best. 'She's kind of the glue.'
Chicago Tribune
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Natalie Muellner explains rubber toy chickens hanging from Oswego's dugout. It's a win-win. ‘They keep multiplying.'
The question had to be asked, and senior outfielder Natalie Muellner provided the answer. What's up with the rubber toy chickens hanging from the chain-link fence protecting Oswego's dugout each game, home or away? Their number seems to be growing. 'The first one has a Dave & Buster's shirt on it that's orange and blue,' Muellner said. 'I said, 'Oh my gosh, it's perfect. It's our school colors.' We found it on our (spring break trip) to Gulf Shores, Alabama, and I thought it would be kind of funny to put it up there. 'We kept on getting more of them and I was like, 'We should get one for every win we get.' And they keep multiplying.' So, it's not mystery chicken, it's victory chicken. That number hit a milestone Thursday with Oswego's 5-1 Southwest Prairie Conference win at home over Yorkville. The Panthers (29-1, 13-1) tied the program record for wins in a season set last spring when they finished third in the state in Class 4A. 'It's a big one,' Oswego co-coach Annie Scaramuzzi said. 'Hopefully, there's a lot more to go.' With two regular-season games remaining — Monday at Minooka and Wednesday vs. Oswego East at home — the Panthers hold a one-game lead over Minooka (21-9 12-2) in conference. Winning pitcher Jaelynn Anthony (13-0) threw a two-hitter Thursday in hot, blustery conditions, with the wind blowing in from right field. 'That was tough,' Scaramuzzi said. 'We had at least two balls that normally would have gone out on any other day stay in. That changes the ball game because we're a long ball team. 'We had to produce at the plate in different ways.' It was an adventure for Anthony, a junior right-hander who struck out 10 but walked seven and hit two batters. Singles by senior shortstop Bella Phillips and junior third baseman Brooke Ekwinski were the only hits for the Foxes (17-10, 8-6). 'We needed that one clutch hit that would have scored a couple runs and swung momentum,' Yorkville coach Jory Regnier said. Anthony aided her cause with three singles and senior first baseman Rikka Ludvigson added a two-run single. 'I never worry when she's out there,' Scaramuzzi said of Anthony, who walked in Yorkville's lone run in the first inning without giving up a hit. 'I know she's gonna figure it out, settle in, and she did just that.' Iowa-bound senior catcher Kiyah Chavez did have an amazing streak end for Oswego, taking a called third strike from freshman reliever Isabella Rosauer in the bottom of the sixth. It's the first strikeout in nearly two full years for Chavez, the 2024 Beacon-News/Courier-News Softball Player of the Year who didn't strike out last season and had none this spring entering the game. 'Kiyah's the best hitter in the state and I'm confident in that statement,' Scaramuzzi said. But back to Muellner. The Wisconsin-Whitewater commit does much more than organize fowl play. She cracked the starting lineup midway through last season and finished hitting .327 with three home runs. The last of those provided the highlight of her career in a 2-1 state semifinal loss to St. Charles North. This spring, she's hitting .344 with three homers, four doubles and 21 RBIs. Scaramuzzi gets a kick out of the chicken collection. 'This is a silly team,' she said. 'They like to have a lot of fun, and that's kind of what just happened. This team plays its best when they're having fun.' The practice may be a little weird, Chavez agreed, but she noted there is precedence. Yorkville players took Wilbur the rally pig all the way to Peoria, earning a state runner-up finish in 2023 and still have it with them in the dugout every game. 'Oswego East had some kind of horse once, too,' Chavez said. 'It adds character to the team.'
Chicago Tribune
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Batting ninth, Niko Villacci continues to come up big as Oswego East gets past Yorkville. ‘Just found my groove.'
Junior left fielder Niko Villacci had bounced around the lineup this season for Oswego East. However, Villacci appears to have found a permanent home batting ninth in the order. And when the Wolves needed him in a clutch situation Tuesday afternoon, he didn't even flinch. 'It was kind of a perfect situation for me — one out, runner on third,' Villacci said in describing his extra-inning heroics. 'All I really had to do was put the ball in play.' Villacci delivered exactly what Oswego East needed. His chopper to third base allowed Mason Palermo to race home with the winning run for the host Wolves in a wild 6-5 Southwest Prairie Conference win in eight innings over Yorkville. Villacci also singled in a run in the second inning for Oswego East (14-16, 5-6). Devin Wheaton had two hits, including a double, and scored twice. Derek Kubek tied the game in the bottom of the seventh by drawing a bases-loaded walk. Joe Grimm and Carter Rapp each added RBI singles. Kal Arntzen, Kamden Muell and Frankie Pavlik tallied two hits apiece for Yorkville (14-12-1, 7-4). Aaron Klemm briefly gave the Foxes the lead with an RBI squeeze bunt in the seventh. Villacci began the season leading off for Oswego East, but coach Brian Schaeffer decided to experiment after teams attacked the Wolves' underclassmen stars — Dominic Battista, Jacsen Tucker and Villacci — with a steady diet of off-speed pitches. 'Everybody knows who those guys are,' Schaeffer said. 'We moved them around a little bit to try to get them to see some fastballs. (Villacci) is a good fastball hitter. It's the off-speed stuff that he sometimes struggles with, so we moved him around. 'He's made some adjustments and he's putting the ball in play, which is what we need.' Another offshoot of moving Villacci to ninth? It serves as a sort of second leadoff hitter for the Wolves. When he gets on, it allows Battista to do damage at leadoff, with Tucker batting third. 'I hit a little slump, so I moved down to nine,' Villacci said. 'I just found my groove at nine. I'll stay there because I found my groove and the offense is clicking, so there's no point in moving.' Aside from a 1-0 loss to Yorkville, Oswego East has scored 43 runs in the past five games, so that formula seems to be working 'We definitely kicked it up in the second half of the season for sure,' Villacci said. 'The first half the bats weren't really going.' Oswego East jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but the Foxes rallied with three runs in the third to tie it up. The Wolves took a 4-3 lead in the fourth on Grimm's RBI single and held that until the seventh. Three errors created two unearned runs, and suddenly, Oswego East trailed 5-4 in the eighth. 'We were playing small ball, putting pressure on them,' Yorkville coach Tom Cerven said. 'We definitely forced some errors and we were able to get some runs here and there, especially there in the seventh to turn the screws on them and make them make some uncharacteristic plays.' Kubek's RBI walk tied it, but Oswego East left the bases loaded to force extra innings. Palermo led off the bottom of the eighth with a double, and then with one out, Villacci did his thing. As a sophomore, Villacci gained notoriety by taking over as the starting quarterback for Oswego East. Make no mistake, though. This is what he was born to do. He also plans on continuing his baseball career in college. 'It's always been baseball,' Villacci said. 'I feel like football has overshadowed it since I was a sophomore on varsity. Baseball is my love. All of my family plays baseball, so it's a family thing.'
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pottsville Mayor Mark Atkinson announces resignation
POTTSVILLE — Mayor Mark Atkinson is resigning for health reasons. The 56-year-old U.S. Navy veteran confirmed Sunday he is stepping down as mayor, a decision he didn't take lightly but one that is best for his health. He submitted his resignation late Friday afternoon, which is effective the end of the business day Monday. Atkinson is planning to speak at Monday's 6 p.m. council meeting. 'I am getting completely out of politics,' he said. Atkinson, a Democrat, has been mayor since city council appointed him to the position in November after the resignation of former mayor Dave Clews, who also resigned due to health reasons. 'At the end of the day, I need to do what is best for my health,' Atkinson said, referring to his heart condition, which is related to his 10-month deployment to Iraq. Atkinson said he has had an irregular heartbeat and sometimes has difficulty breathing. A recent four-day hospital stay in April found 'significant changes' for the worse to his heart. His doctor advised he eliminate as much stress as possible. In February, Atkinson announced he was not seeking reelection. In response, the Pottsville Democratic Committee unanimously endorsed Andy Wollyung for mayor. A first-term city council member, Wollyung, 41, won a four-year seat on council in November 2023. Council has 30 days to appoint a successor. Being a mayor is an 'awesome responsibility' and an 'honor,' Atkinson said. He is most proud of the employees who do the day-to-day work of the city. No more firefighting In addition to his role as mayor, Atkinson is no longer medically cleared to work as a firefighter, a passion he has pursued for 38 years. 'My days as an interior firefighter are over,' he said, although he may still be able to drive a firetruck. Atkinson has been a firefighter in the city since 1992, having joined Yorkville as a firefighter from 1992 to 1995, then going to the Phoenix Fire Company, which has merged with Humane and is known as Pottsville Fire Company No. 1.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Plug Power Signs $525 Million Secured Credit Facility with Yorkville Advisors and Reports Strong Preliminary Q1 2025 Results
SLINGERLANDS, N.Y., April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG), a global leader in comprehensive hydrogen solutions, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement for a secured debt facility and achieved key operational and financial milestones that support its path toward profitability and long-term growth. Up to $525 Million Yorkville Credit Facility and Retirement of Dilutive Debenture Plug has signed a definitive agreement for a secured debt facility with Yorkville Advisors providing for the issuance of up to $525 million of secured debentures. The facility includes an initial $210 million tranche, which will be fully funded at the initial closing and additional tranches of up to $315 million. The initial tranche is expected to close on or around May 2, 2025. With the net proceeds from the initial tranche, Plug intends to use approximately $82.5 million to retire the majority of its existing convertible debenture principal outstanding with Yorkville, which has approximately 55 million associated underlying shares given the conversion price and therefore this refinancing will reduce potential dilution. Preliminary Q1 2025 Results and Strengthened Financial Position Plug will be reporting its first quarter of 2025 results in early May. Plug expects to report revenue of approximately $130 million to $134 million for the first quarter of 2025. Plug expects second quarter revenue in the range of $140 million to $180 million. Plug expects net cash usage for Q1 2025 to be approximately $142 million compared to $268 million in Q1 2024. Net cash usage represents the change in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, less proceeds from public and private offerings, net of transaction costs, and excludes principal payments of convertible instruments. Plug anticipates additional near-term reductions to net cash usage driven by hydrogen plant ramp-ups, additional cost downs, and additional price increases. The net cash usage for the first quarter 2025 could have been lower given the Company has been working with a key customer on a major price change and program enhancement which is effective from January 1, 2025 onwards. The Company agreed to delay first quarter collections to allow time for finalizing the contracts and invoices. The Company finalized the program during the 2nd quarter which positions the Company to drive higher revenue and improved cash flows going forward. Plug ended March 31, 2025 with approximately $296 million in unrestricted cash. Given the current cash resources, the continued reductions in cash usage by leveraging working capital and reducing capex, the benefits of additional cost reduction initiatives launched in March 2025 that are expected to drive over $200 million of annual cost reductions, and the additional committed financing available under the Yorkville credit facility, the Company believes it has sufficient liquidity to support its growth in the near to mid-term. Plug has no intention of raising additional equity in 2025, underscoring its focus on disciplined capital management. Louisiana Plant Online Plug has completed construction of its new 15TPD hydrogen production plant in St. Gabriel, Louisiana. Operated through the Hidrogenii joint venture with Olin Corporation, this facility strengthens Plug's vertically integrated hydrogen network and will serve anchor customers including Amazon and Walmart. Realizing Cost Savings Plug has already taken decisive actions to reduce its operational cost base, implementing changes in Q1 2025 that are expected to drive over $200 million in incremental annualized run-rate savings. These cost cutting measures — largely completed — include organizational realignment and a company-wide focus on manufacturing and supply chain efficiency. The full impact of these cost savings will begin to be reflected in the coming quarters, supporting Plug's continued margin improvement and progress toward profitability. 'We've made the tough decisions and put the structure in place to deliver improved operating leverage and capital efficiency,' said Andy Marsh, CEO of Plug Power. 'Between strengthening our balance sheet, scaling hydrogen production, and streamlining operations, we've taken the right steps to position Plug for long-term success in the hydrogen economy.' Cautionary Language Concerning Forward Looking Statements This press release contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the 'safe harbor' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, future outlooks for Plug's business, including its estimated revenue for the first and second quarters of 2025, Plug's expectations regarding its cash usage, margins, operating leverage, annual cost savings and capital efficiency, the timing of the closing of the initial tranche of the credit facility, the potential funding from additional tranches of the credit facility that are subject to additional closing conditions, the expectation that Plug will have sufficient liquidity and will not need to raise additional equity capital in 2025, and Plug's expectations that its Louisiana plant will strengthen Plug's vertically integrated hydrogen network. Plug's estimated Q1 2025 results and Q2 2025 revenue are preliminary and unaudited and subject to change upon completion of Plug's financial closing procedures. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date they were first issued and are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond Plug's control. Plug's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the risks related to uncertainties related to market conditions and the satisfaction of the closing conditions and, with respect to the preliminary financial results, the completion of quarter-end financial close process and finalization of Plug's financial statements, which will require significant judgments in a number of areas that may result in the estimates provided herein being different than the final reported. These and other potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted are more fully detailed in Plug's filings and reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 'SEC'), including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as well as other filings and reports that are filed by Plug from time to time with the SEC. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Plug's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release, and you should not place undue reliance on such statements. Except as required by law, Plug undertakes no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. MEDIA CONTACTFatimah Nouilati - AllisonplugPR@ Source: Plug Power, in to access your portfolio
