When Gabby Christopher first started playing softball, hitting a ball over the fence wasn’t exactly in her skillset.

“Up until I was 14, I was a No. 2 hitter,” said Christopher, who two years ago as a sophomore hit a McHenry County and Marengo school record 20 home runs. “I was usually a bunter, a sacrifice hitter. I was trying to move people around the bases.”

Christopher still moves people around the bases, just in a different way.

The Indians senior tied the team record with her 40th home run on April 9 in a win against Woodstock. She then blasted her 41st and 42nd home runs of her four-year varsity career in a win against Warren on April 12 to become the program’s solo leader.

Christopher, who plays shortstop, broke the record of 2017 grad Marian Dionne, a Class 3A state champion who finished with 40 in her career and was known for some truly monster shots, including a home run that landed on the school’s JV field.

“Mariah was such a good player in her four years here, so for Gabby to beat that, that’s pretty cool,” Marengo coach Dwain Nance said. “She’s had a really good start to the year, with both her average and power. When she broke the season record (in 2024), she sat on it for a little bit, maybe pressed a little bit.

“This time, boom, boom, she got it done.”

Christopher, who has nine homers this season, also is closing in on the team’s all-time RBI mark, also held by Dionne.

It was Dionne who helped bring out the power from Christopher in her early years, serving as a pitching and hitting coach in Marengo’s youth travel program.

“My sister (Maddy, 2023 Marengo grad) started pitching and got lessons with her,” Christopher said. “I ended up going into pitching and (Dionne) wanted to work with me. I was more of a bunter than power hitter. So at the time she was more working with me with small ball and that kind of thing.

“Towards the end of me working with her, she ended up teaching me how to power through the ball and helped shaped me into the person I am today. I mean, we’re still reaching out to each other, my parents are, too. She moved to Arizona, but I think she’s back in town now.”

Christopher also credits her current hitting coach, Jim Donovan, for her transformation into a power hitter. She’s worked with Donovan since her freshman year.

“When I got further into travel, kind of higher level, I had some coaches who really believed in me,” Christopher said. “He’s (Donovan) been a huge inspiration for me. He’s helped me overcome a lot of challenges, and he helped make me into a power hitter.”

Christopher joined her sister Maddy as a record holder at the school, after Maddy broke the teams’ all-time steals record her senior year.

“She set the stolen base record my freshman year. She really set the standard for me,” Gabby Christopher said. “Obviously, we are very different people and players. I’ve always been better at power and she’s always been good at slapping, so both good, but just different aspects.”

Christopher doesn’t plan on playing softball past high school, as her academic pursuits don’t align perfectly. Christopher joined Marengo’s Future Farmers of America program as a freshman and then decided that’s where her future lies.

“I’ve had some injuries in the past that kind of influenced my decision, and I’m very set on what I want to do in college,” she said. “Only one of my offers was from an agricultural-related school. I’d really love to continue playing softball, but really I just wanted to prioritize my education and future.”

Breaking the school’s all-time home record was one of her goals.

And according to IHSA.org, Christopher’s 42 career home runs aren’t far off the state’s all-time list. Four players in the state’s history have 46, which is tied for 19th all time.

“Getting to celebrate with the team at home was really huge for me,” Christopher said. “I really love this group.”

Petryniec wins No. 500: Huntley coach Mark Petryniec entered the season three wins shy of 500 in his career, and he reached the milestone in the sixth game of the spring, a 23-0 win over Rockford Auburn in which the Red Raiders put up 16 runs in the first inning and hit five home runs.

Huntley’s coach since 2004, Petryniec has led the Raiders to 13 regional titles, three sectional titles and two state appearances. Huntley captured the Class 4A state title in 2019 behind ace pitcher Briana Bower, and made it back to the state tourney in 2021, placing third. There was no 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Petryniec joins Huntley girls basketball coach Steve Raethz as 500-game winners at the school. Raethz reached the coaching milestone this winter then announced his retirement after 27 seasons.

“It’s a big testament to our program and all the talented players who have come through up and down the years,” said Petryniec, whose Raiders have at least 20 wins every season since 2013, averaging 28 wins a year. “They’re the ones who have helped achieve this. It wouldn’t be possible without every single one of them.

“It just means I’m really old.”

Huntley’s 2019 state championship was the first in school history for any boys or girls team. And the 2019 Raiders were the first softball team from the Fox Valley Conference to win a state championship and only the second team from McHenry County, joining Marengo (Class 3A titles in 2011 and 2017).

Through Thursday’s games, Huntley (11-4, 4-0) is the FVC’s only team without a conference loss. The Raiders saw their streak of four straight FVC championships ended last year by Prairie Ridge.

Malecke’s big surprise: Gwen Malecke, a 2020 graduate from Hampshire, wrapped up her college softball career and graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College in May, finished student teaching in January and then threw her hat in the ring for one of Woodstock North’s open coaching positions this spring.

Malecke applied to be an assistant, but to her delight was hired as varsity head coach.

“I’ve just always been around the game,” Malecke said. “I actually applied to be an assistant, had an interview and everything, and they offered head. I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh.’ I took it over, and I’ve loved every minute of it. Truly, the girls are great. My assistant coaches are great, as well. They’ve made the process so much fun. I love being back around the game.

“I thought I’d be down for awhile, but, yeah, I couldn’t stay away.”

Malecke, who teaches pre-k and special education at Verda Dierzen Early Learning Center in Woodstock, and the Thunder (7-2) just won their seventh game in a row on Thursday and lead the KRC with a perfect 5-0 record.