July 17, 2025
Softball | Kane County Chronicle


Softball

High school girls softball: 'Bigger and better' - Hard work leads softball Player of the Year Rylee Stout into state record books

Hard work leads softball Player of the Year Rylee Stout into state record books

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ST. CHARLES – Rylee Stout smacked a walk-off grand slam for the St. Charles East softball team April 27, delivering the winning RBIs in a 7-6 victory against Downers Grove South.

As the Saints learned once more about their senior catcher’s dependability, Stout suddenly needed something new to count on.

That particular home run was Stout’s 13th of the spring, surpassing Rae Anne Payleitner’s single-season school record and leaving Stout about three more weeks to swing away.

Boy, did she.

Stout, the 2017 Kane County Chronicle softball Player of the Year, finished her final high school season with 20 home runs and 72 RBIs, formidable totals that helped add up to a special season for East.

“So, my original goal was only to hit 13 [home runs], because that would beat the previous record, and I was like, ‘Why not have fun with the last season, try to make something out of it, right?’” Stout said. “And then once I hit 13, I was like, ‘I can’t just stop now; it’s only midseason.’ So then I made a new goal of 20, and I ended up hitting 20, so it was pretty cool. But yeah, I wasn’t keeping track. That was more my sister and my dad.”

Stout credits her sister, Maddy, the Saints’ sophomore left fielder, and her father, Keith, in part for her successes, as they served as frequent offseason workout companions through the years.

There also are her strength coaches at Legacy Performance and her hitting coach, Thijs Dennison, a St. Charles North assistant who also coaches Stout for the Bartlett Silver Hawks travel team.

And, of course, her Saints teammates.

Go figure. In Stout’s eyes, it took a small village to help her to a single-season home run total that’s tied for sixth best all-time in IHSA history, and RBI count tied for 16th best.

“I was tiny my freshman year,” said Stout, a four-year varsity player, “and I mean, I hit well, but I’ve definitely improved a lot, being able to work out and go to hitting instructors and focus on more the technique and the mechanics. The little stuff to make it bigger and better.”

In addition to home runs and RBIs, Stout led the Saints with 64 hits, 52 runs and a .460 batting average. She struck out only 10 times during the Saints’ 30-8 season, which concluded with a loss to St. Charles North in the IHSA Class 4A St. Charles East sectional championship.

“She was one of those players that comes around and you’d love to have her every year,” Saints coach Jarod Gutesha said. “But you just don’t. … We’ll definitely miss her.”

Payleitner, the younger sister of Saints assistant coach Max Payleitner, tweeted her congratulations after Stout broke her record and offered personal congratulations later in the year.

As with fellow catcher Rae Anne Payleitner, Stout used her demanding defensive position to help maintain her focus each time at bat.

“I love catching,” Stout said. “I like that I have to be involved in the game the whole time. I like being able to see the field and be a leader on the team.”

Classmate Delaney Devor, the ace of East’s pitching staff, also bolstered things with an exceedingly upbeat attitude.

“We could both come together and talk to each other and be like, ‘OK, this is what we need to do. This is how it’s going to happen, and we know we can do it,’” Stout said.

So it went with Stout at the plate this season. She visualized. Then, she attacked.

“Wonderful player and hard worker,” Gutesha said, “and everything in between.”

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Kane County Chronicle all-area team

Batavia: Toni Galas, sr.; Rachel Lovestrand, sr.

Burlington Central: Kristina Ahlers, sr.; Julia Barnes, jr.; Gretchen Schrubbe, sr.

Geneva: Katie Keller, jr.; Kaitlyn Plocinski, sr.; Emily Viebrock, fr.; Molly Wrenn, sr.

Kaneland: Lexi Abruzzo, jr.; Aly Jesionowski, sr.; Donatela Sommesi, fr.; Morgan Weber, sr.

Rosary: Krystal Cortes, jr.; Xandria Olsen, jr.

St. Charles East: Maddie Candre, jr.; Delaney Devor, sr.; Paige Ligocki, soph.; Rylee Stout, sr.

St. Charles North: Allie Moberg, sr.; Jillian Waslawski, jr.; Jordyn Wolfe, sr.

St. Francis: Carlee Clark, soph.; Shelby Winkelman, jr.