Kits Look Forward To Senior Moments In Softball

Amy Gonzales can’t wait for the senior moments that are to come this spring.

No, it’s not about the Evanston softball coach’s age. She’s still a young mother with two children of preschool age.

But Gonzales expects plenty of senior moments on the softball diamond because she has the most seniors on the roster since she took over the ETHS program.

The Class of 2025 has stuck with the sport despite not experiencing much actual success, posting a combined 21 wins in the past three seasons, including last year’s 9-18-1 mark. But 11 seniors are back for a last hurrah and that experience should pay dividends when the Kits open next Wednesday at home against Stevenson.

Evanston was supposed to debut last week but cold and wet weather wiped out scheduled contests against Ridgewood and Lockport.

Gonzales saw familiar faces everywhere when preseason practices started, and the presence of players who have already “been there and done that” at the varsity level can make a difference when it comes to the little things like knowing when to grab an extra base, or taking a two-strike pitch to the opposite field.

“With that kind of experience, I’m hoping that their confidence level increases. The time they’ve already put in (in their careers) will help a lot, and they know that at-bats (on offense) are as much mental as physical,” the coach pointed out. “Most of them have been on the varsity level for two or three years, so they HAVE been there and done that.

“They’ve played together for so long and they get along so well. They really enjoy being around each other. They’ve all grown, they’ve all improved a little more, and it will be fun to see them play with continued confidence.”

The veteran cast is led by two seniors who have already committed to playing collegiate softball. Catcher Delila Liston, who will be a four-year starter for ETHS, is planning to attend Wisconsin-Parkside and outfielder Rosie Witt will continue her career at Denison University.

Other returning starters include infielders Charlie Henderson, Aayna Ghose and Olivia Stanczak, plus pitchers Isabelle Anthony and Maya Nelson. Alba Vickers-Machado, Madison Ball and Julia Schaefer add depth to that class and another senior, Kenna Brokowski, could supply middle-of-the-order batting punch after missing most of last season with a back injury.

Promising freshman Maddie Berry is a player to watch at catcher, and junior Jessica Frolichstein will take a regular turn in the pitching circle behind vets Anthony and Nelson.

The Kits will have to adjust to one player defection. Shortstop Sophie Berger-White, a player with all-conference type talent, decided not to come out for softball this spring so Gonzales and her staff will rely on their philosophy of fielding players who as versatile as possible in an effort to replace her.

Lack of numbers in the program earlier in Gonzales’ tenure meant that she emphasized teaching players more than one position on defense, and that’s a philosophy she has embraced. Liston, a robust hitter and better than average defender behind the plate, will likely shift back to shortstop this year. She started for the Kits at short as a freshman and Gonzales thinks the transition won’t be a major hurdle for the senior standout.

“It’s an adjustment, and it will take some time for a couple of girls in new positions because it’s all about reps (practice repetitions),” said the veteran coach. “It will depend partly on who is pitching for us. But we have a lot of flexibility, like we always do. People are still getting comfortable with the roles they’ll have to take on, but I know they’ll make the adjustments.”

Berry could see plenty of action behind the plate in her rookie year. She caught the coach’s eye during open gyms and Gonzales knows you can’t have too much offense in the fast-pitch sport.

“It may take time for Maddie to ease into things, but offensively I think she’ll be a strong asset for us,” Gonzales said. “She has some power --- she’s a strong kid --- and hopefully she can be a middle of the lineup hitter for us. We’re always thinking about (boosting) our offense. We do have good hitters, it’s just a consistency thing for us.”

Berry will be paired with veteran pitchers in Anthony and Nelson. The pair are pitch-to-contact right-handers who need a strong defense behind them to chalk up outs.

“Maya gets people to ground out and pop up a lot,” the coach pointed out, “and even though they aren’t dominant (as strikeout hurlers can be), they know how to change speeds and use movement to get hitters out. Movement makes a big difference for a pitcher in this sport.

“Isabelle really looks good so far. She worked a lot in the summer and now she feels more confident out there. She knows she can do it. She also might play some second base for us, although she hasn’t done that (regularly) in a long time.

“This year, this group, feels a little different to me. We’ve been close to winning in the conference (Central Suburban League South division) and I’m always aiming for tops in the conference. The camaraderie is really good, and I’m really hopeful we can have more success at the conference level.”