When joking around with his teammates at practice, senior Luke Sundheim sports a dimpled grin — one that seems to say “local boy.”
But as the Glencoe native and New Trier High School graduate stood in the batter’s box in that Wednesday game against Bradley, that grin had been replaced by a solemn stare in the pitcher’s direction. Wasting no time, Sundheim lined the first pitch he faced into right field for a single, as if he’d done it countless times before.
In his baseball life, Sundheim had. But this was only the senior’s second hit and his seventh Northwestern at-bat, the latest episode in a saga that turned from a short Glencoe-to-Evanston jaunt into an injury-riddled, 1,500-mile journey through Philadelphia and a now-defunct baseball program.
“I loved it,” Sundheim said of playing baseball at Drexel University, his best option after the possibility of going to a Big Ten school — his preference — fell through when he tore his hamstring three games into his senior year. “It was tough, though, because there were three or four (Colonial Athletic Association) teams in the top 25 every year.”
So tough that the school dropped baseball after a 12-34 season in 2003. But Sundheim wasn’t quite done.
“I still wanted to play,” said Sundheim, a two-year starter who as a sophomore made only one error in 291 chances at first base to lead the CAA in fielding percentage. “(So) I just started calling all the coaches I knew.”
One of those coaches was an old friend, NU assistant Ron Klein. A New Trier coaching legend, Klein knew Sundheim since his childhood. He coached Sundheim’s uncle, future major-leaguer Ross Baumgartner, and as a senior in high school Sundheim won the Ron Klein Award, a $500 scholarship given annualy to a New Trier baseball player.
“I give it based on the type of kid he is, what he’s done for the program,” said Klein, who directed Sundheim to NU coach Paul Stevens. “He’s as good a defensive first baseman as you can find.”
Pretty soon, the local boy was back home.
“I can’t tell you how excited we were when he decided to go to Northwestern,” Luke’s mother, Karen, said. “I still remember the day.”
Sundheim’s journey has gotten no less tumultuous since arriving at NU. A week before he made his North Shore baseball return, Sundheim tore his rotator cuff, limiting him to one at-bat in one 2004 game. Then after watching the Wildcats’ first game this season from the sideline, the senior broke his hand. This forced him to lose another month.
Sundheim also has had to adjust from a starter’s role at Drexel to a utility man’s role.
“It’s frustrating at times, because we’ve got a lot of good guys,” he said. “But I just know that I can do whatever Coach needs me to do.”
Opportunity-by-opportunity, Sundheim is following his word. After starting his career 0 for 3, Sundheim is 3 for his last 5, and knocked in his first NU run against Bradley.
With each trip to the plate, Sundheim’s boyish grin still vanishes as he tries to make up for lost time in his new old home.
“Coming here is awesome,” he said. “I’m ten minutes from home, playing in the Big Ten and my family gets to see me every game.”
Reach Patrick Dorsey at [email protected].
