Chicago Pioneers

The Chicago Pioneers Girls Baseball Program

Brittany Serviss warms up 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.

For more information contact Mary Jo Stegeman or call 847.707.8944

2015 Pan Am Games To Include Women's Baseball

OTTAWA-Canada will be the defending gold medalists in men’s baseball when the 2015 Pan Am Games get underway two summers from now in Toronto, and for the first time in games history, our Women’s National Team will have a chance to compete for a medal as women’s baseball has been added to the sports program.

Pioneers begin play August 23 at the 2012 Bantam Girls International Invitational in Bedford, Nova Scotia

The Chicago Pioneers begin tournament play Thursday, August 23, against the Ontario entry. Here is the complete schedule. Eight teams from Canada and the Pioneeers will play for Bantam Girls international bragging rights. Click here to see the rosters for the eight teams. Click here to view results.

Below are links to live action at the tournament. The links will not work until the games are in progress.

Pioneer Stacy Piagno leads Team USA in an 11-8 victory at the 2012 Women's World Cup

Click Here To Check Out Article on Stacy ...

Team USA captured their second win in the V IBAF Women’s Baseball World Cup at Telus Field in Edmonton, Canada on Saturday. They edged out Australia in a thrilling affair, winning by a score of 11-8. The US squad came back from an early 2-7 deficit, plating five crucial runs in the last two frames of the game. Australia dropped to 1-1 in the tournament.

The US team had the better start into the contest, taking a 2-0 lead midway through the third. But the bottom half nearly cost them the game. Australia put seven runs on the board on seven hits, including a pair of big doubles by Kim McMillan and Tahnee Lovering.

But the USA didn’t give up. Scoring two runs apiece in the fourth, fifth and sixth they erased the deficit and tied it on a two-out, two-run single of Tamara Holmes. In the seventh they completed the comeback successfully. Three runs scored for the United States, two on a costly throwing error by shortstop Bronwyn Gell.

After starter Marti Sementelli got knocked out of the game during the seven-run Aussie rally, Stacy Piagno took over for the US and issued just four hits, one run and a walk in 4 2/3 strong relief innings en route to the win. Maddison Lenard took the loss for the team from Down Under. Jacinda Barclay had begun, allowing six hits, six runs (5 ER) and three walks in 4 1/3 innings.

Three Pioneers Selected to 2012 USA Baseball women's national team; World Cup play begins August 10

Pioneer players Ashley Sujkowski (Rossford, Ohio), Jen Hunter (Tarpon Springs, Florida) and Stacy Piagno (St. Augustine, Florida) were selected to the 2012 USA Baseball women's national team. The women's Team USA will represent the United States at the 5th Women's World Cup of Baseball in Edmonton, AB, Canada.

The Women's World Cup of Baseball will be held on August 10-19th. Other countries competing are Australia, Canada, Cuba, Japan, Netherlands and Taiwan.

Pioneers Win 4 Games at Cooperstown Dreams Park

The Chicago Pioneers posted a 4-3 record at the 2012 Cooperstown All Star tournament and advanced to the second round before being eliminated.
Read more and see video ...

The Pioneers were the first all-girls team to participate there since it opened in 2004. In 2009, the Pioneers attended Cooperstown Dreams Park and were the first all-girls team to compete there in its Cooperstown Classic.

Everyone is excited about these opportunities," said Mary Jo Stegeman, founder of the Pioneers whose program has grown more than tenfold in 5 seasons.

If your daughter is interested in playing with the young Pioneers and is 11-14 years old, please contact Mary Jo at 847.707.8944 for more information.

Chicago Pioneers defeat the New England Red Sox 6-5 in extra innings and grab their first National Championship

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. See team photo ...

Pertinent links to follow the teams are below ...

Playoff Result's ...

Daily Schedules, Results and Standings ...

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 Baseball with the Chicago Pioneers

This spring, play baseball at the PONY level with the Chicago Pioneers in the North Suburban Youth Baseball Association League. The league accommodates girls ages 11-16 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 NSYBA 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 ...
Natalie Martinez applies the tag at home plate
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