The varsity girls’ softball team is quietly having a fantastic season. Currently at 28-8, the team is having one of its best years in program history. The team has continued to win big games all year, winning the Regional Championship against Carmel this past week. The Wildcats look to continue to accomplish what has made them so successful this year as they head deeper into the playoffs.
“We all made goals at the beginning of the season that we’ve been working for during the past couple months. Whenever we step on the field, we’re all trying to achieve the same things,” stated senior pitcher Haley Alban.
The team’s goals have been pretty straightforward. They set out, according to sophomore utility player Jessie Lauret, to win at least 27 games, which has already been accomplished. The team set out to win the conference championship, and they succeeded. The team showed enough durability and skill to win the Regional Championship, and they have no signs of slowing down.
According to Alban, the team just wanted to win at least 20 games, still respectable, and earn 3 cookie cakes, which are given out for making a certain amount of clutch plays in the game. According to assistant coach Ms. Katti Jablenski, the team has a different feel from teams in the past.
“This team is very cohesive. They understand that every person on the team plays an important role in the team’s success. They work as a team, win as a team, and most importantly, have fun as a team. They also love earning bonus points!” said Jablenski, who confirmed that the team does make an extra push for the cookie cakes.
The team has certainly come together to be successful, but certain individuals have truly stepped up to help the team get to where they are now. According to Alban, Andi Katz, the senior catcher, has really made a jump from last year.
“Andi went from catching a handful of games last season to catching every single game except one this season. She’s also hit a ton of home runs including a grand slam in our regional semifinal. I’m really proud of how much she’s improved this season!” praised Alban.
However, according to Lauret, it’s Alban who has really stepped up.
“Haley definitely stepped up this year because she has basically been pitching every game for us,” said Lauret. Alban has been a huge factor for the Cats this year, consistently stepping onto the mound and pitching huge games. She has started a majority of games this year, including their win against Carmel for the regional championship.
Other key players include sophomore Jamie Stevens and senior Tayler Oberman. Through 17 games to begin the season, Stevens hit for an unbelievable .517 average, and she has continued to hit at a great consistency. The varsity member since freshman year has been a major part of the offense all year long for the Wildcats.
Oberman, the senior middle infielder, has already committed to playing at Winona State in Minnesota next year. Winona State boasts a fantastic Division II resumé, and found a gem in the speedy yet sure-hitting Oberman.
As the team heads deeper into the playoffs, they will be forced to play at a more accelerated level each game. However, that’s right up their alley because of the way they can simplify the game.
“The girls have spent a lot of time going back to the fundamentals and breaking down every aspect of offense and defense. It’s not always fun or easy, but they understand the importance of it and know that it’s the little things that will help them win the games. This team also never gives up. They play hard every inning and always put up a fight until the end,” said Jablenski.
The Wildcats play Wednesday, June 4, against Lake Zurich. The Wildcats will play at Stevenson at 4:30 as they continue their run through the state playoffs.
