Softball notes: Yorkville enjoys successful spring break trip to Alabama

Jory Regnier’s Yorkville softball team spent spring break in Alabama, bonding through team dinners, trivia nights and making friendship bracelets.

Oh, and softball. A lot of softball.

The Foxes on March 29 completed a whirlwind six games over three days at the Gulf Coast Classic in Alabama. Yorkville (8-1) finished in the top eight of the 50-team tournament, going 5-1 and making the quarterfinals.

“I feel great,” Regnier said. “I have told everyone this trip is like nothing else. I know the caliber of team that we currently have. This trip does so much for our team. The bonding, the team time, us getting to know each individual and them getting to know each other. There is so much good that comes out of it.”

Yorkville, which won 28 games last season and is a year removed from the program’s first sectional title, has huge aspirations for this season. The Foxes were ranked 12th in the Illinois Coaches Association preseason Class 4A poll.

The Foxes matched up quite well in Alabama, even with only three games under their belt prior to the trip.

“Looking at some of the competition in the tournament, we felt good about how our girls performed,” Regnier said. “We were playing teams who were 35 games into the season, which is fine. That’s why we come down here.

“We want that competition. We want people with that experience so we can get put in situations with pressure and unique situations we can tackle right now and work through it as opposed to [during] games that count for us.”

Yorkville first traveled to Alabama over spring break in 2018, did not go in 2019 and returned to the tournament in 2021. This was the first time the Foxes have made the trip in back-to-back years, in part for the eight Yorkville seniors who lost their freshman season to COVID-19.

“I guess it was a reason, but the better question was why not do it,” Regnier said. “Those senior girls had that freshman year pulled out from underneath them. That was completely horrible. They have only got to experience three years of softball.”

Much goes into the decision to travel, not the least of which is the travel itself. The girls fundraise for the trip. The last two times the Foxes traveled, they did so by motor coach, sharing with the baseball team, but the cost is prohibitive. This year, the Yorkville softball staff asked for permission for self-travel with parents, with kids who don’t have family going along riding on vans with coaches.

The Foxes left at 8 p.m. March 25 and made the 15-hour drive to Alabama through the night, arriving for a five-day stay in a house.

“It’s like living with these kids for five days, the ultimate team bonding,” Regnier said. “I’m like a question master. That’s what makes it super cool. Kids get to know us better, breaking down barriers, building a relationship.”

Oswego freshman’s fabulous debut

Jaelynn Anthony insisted she did not feel any nerves before her first high school start.

The Oswego freshman is grateful for every opportunity to help her team – in the circle, in the field or at the plate. She follows lessons passed on from her pitching coach, Jill Waldron, and her travel coach, Megan Mahaffy, who was a collegiate pitcher at Bradley.

“I try to stay mentally strong, confident and just focus on each pitch, pitch by pitch,” Anthony said.

Anthony, indeed, showed the nerves of a seasoned pro her first time out.

She struck out 10 batters to win a 2-0 pitchers’ duel at Neuqua Valley on March 29. Anthony said she worked out some butterflies pitching two innings of relief in Oswego’s season opener against Lockport. She also threw four innings of relief against Downers Grove South, holding the Mustangs to zero earned runs. None of it came as a surprise to Anthony, who started pitching at age 9 for the local recreation league and has since pitched travel for the Oswego Outlaws and her current team, the U16 Wasco Diamonds.

Anthony’s big week continued Thursday. Anthony hit her first varsity home run against Geneva.

“I wasn’t surprised by the way it worked out,” Anthony said. “I knew we would do well with my catcher Kiyah Chavez behind the plate directing the field and calling my pitches.”

Oswego’s offense, which had scored 34 runs over four games, managed to scratch across a couple off of Neuqua pitcher Ava Drehs. Anthony did the rest.

“I felt confident with my riseball and curveball after getting a few strikeouts with them,” Anthony said. “I’d say my best pitch is my curveball. It’s honestly my fastest pitch, too.”

She also tipped her cap to Oswego’s defense behind her, particularly one key moment.

“When my center fielder, Marissa Moffett, came through for me by catching a deeply hit fly ball,” Anthony said. “Seeing their defense work their hardest to back me up just makes me trust them so much, and I want to help them out just as much when I’m on the mound.”

Around the horn

Anthony isn’t the only area pitcher, or underclassman, off to an impressive start.

Yorkville Christian sophomore Grace Allgood struck out 17 in a one-hitter against Joliet Central, and had two doubles and two RBIs at the plate. Yorkville freshman catcher Kayla Kersting homered in two of the Foxes’ first three games