Latest news with #OswegoEastRegional
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
The future's so bright for Iowa recruit Kiyah Chavez. And Oswego's catcher keeps the sunglasses on. ‘A superstar.'
Senior catcher Kiyah Chavez definitely has her eyes on the prize for Oswego. She just doesn't want opponents — especially base runners — getting too good of a look. It's why the Iowa recruit keeps her sunglasses on come rain or shine, even if it's overcast from the haze of Canadian wildfires like it was Friday afternoon. Besides, those orange shades look good, matching perfectly with the orange lettering on her Panthers' jersey. 'Honestly, I do have a pair of Oakleys and I do like them,' Chavez said. 'But the glasses I'm wearing belong to (senior outfielder) Rhiana Martinez. I just like them. They look cooler. 'I'm pretty big about wearing my glasses because, as I'm sure you've seen, one of my favorite things to do is pick off runners. If they can see where I'm looking, it's kind of a problem.' Chavez, the area's reigning player of the year, looked and played the part Friday for Oswego in a 6-0 win over Neuqua Valley in the Class 4A Oswego East Regional championship game. Jaelynn Anthony ended up taking a no-hitter for Oswego (33-2) into the sixth inning against Neuqua (17-15), and Chavez provided a huge part of the backing with two singles and two RBIs. On top of that, Chavez threw out one runner trying to steal second base and came within an eyelash of picking off another at first. But her work in the batter's box continues to impress. 'That's what I've got in my head when I go up there to bat,' said Chavez, who raised her batting average to .555 (60-for-108) with 59 RBIs, both team highs. 'I'm thinking, 'Do your job.'' Anthony did her job with 11 strikeouts in pitching a two-hitter for the Panthers, who play at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday against the host Foxes (24-12) in a Yorkville Sectional semifinal. Oswego took third in the state last season. Yorkville beat Plainfield 1-0 Friday in a regional final. 'This year, Jaelynn knows what it's about now,' Oswego co-coach Annie Scaramuzzi said. 'Every win last year was a surprise. This year, we've been there, we've done that. 'We know what to expect and our players do, too. We're led by 10 seniors and 12 returners from last year's state run. We know what to expect and what it's going to take.' As for that pick-off throw to senior first baseman Rikka Ludvigson? 'Rikka and I have kind of a really subtle sign for when we're gonna do something,' Chavez said. 'I use it with our third basemen, too. I'll take any advantage I can get.' As for the call? 'Oh, she was out,' Chavez said. ' She was so out, totally out.' Scaramuzzi said the coaching staff felt it would be a challenge facing Neuqua and standout senior pitcher Ava Drehs, a Creighton recruit. 'We knew we'd need our small ball and we'd need clutch hits,' Scaramuzzi said. 'One through 10, we did an excellent job of executing, making the defense work by putting the ball in play.' Junior shortstop Kennedy Gengler, batting eighth, led an eight-hit attack with three singles. The Panthers, who have 50 homers and a .411 team batting average, didn't produce an extra-base hit. Five Neuqua errors, though, helped the cause as Drehs allowed just one earned run. All of that started with Chavez. 'She's a difference-maker on both sides of the ball,' Scaramuzzi said. 'Jaelynn trusts her and they're a great pair, so together they are unstoppable in my opinion.' Anthony also had four assists fielding her position. She started a double play with a force to Gengler, who then threw to Ludvigson. 'Those are key plays on defense that really shift momentum for us,' Scaramuzzi said. 'Kiyah and Rikka work well together for those picks and Kiyah, obviously, is a superstar at the plate. 'She's gonna get the job done whenever the opportunity presents itself.'
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
All business as Purdue recruit Jaelynn Anthony opens playoffs with 17 strikeouts for Oswego. ‘I'm here to compete.'
Oswego's Jaelynn Anthony timed her varsity breakout last season just about perfectly. Anthony helped the Panthers make an historic run to taking third place in the state. But now, with the postseason beginning anew, the Purdue-bound junior pitcher is an established commodity. It's a big difference. 'Everybody knows I'm a good pitcher, so they're here to beat me and it's not going to happen,' Anthony said. 'I do what I need to do. I'm here to compete and they know I'm here to compete.' As far as competition goes, Anthony delivered a dominant performance Tuesday as top-seeded Oswego cruised to an 8-0 win over Metea Valley in a Class 4A Oswego East Regional semifinal. Anthony was brilliant, striking out 17 and walking one in a three-hit gem for Oswego (32-2). She also hit a two-run homer, tying her with Aubriella Garza for the team lead with 13. Adalynn Fugitt added two hits and two steals and scored twice for the Panthers, who extended their program record for wins and will play for a second straight regional title at 4:30 p.m. Friday. Garza and Sabrina Zamora each tallied two hits and drove in a run for the Panthers, while Zamora scored twice. Sydney Eakin, Maielle Ernser and Elena Gonzalez had hits for Metea (8-21). Iowa recruit Kiyah Chavez, Anthony's catcher and one of her best friends, has seen the subtle ways that Anthony has improved and taken steps forward this season. And they're not all related to her electric stuff. 'I think she just feels more confident, more comfortable,' Chavez said. 'There are so many things I could say about Jaelynn. She's obviously a fantastic pitcher and we're very lucky to have her. 'The strongest part of her development is definitely getting more comfortable with who she is and what role she plays. I think before she was a solid pitcher but she wasn't sure where she fit in with leadership roles, that kind of stuff.' Oswego co-coach Annie Scaramuzzi echoed those sentiments, acknowledging that Anthony has made the jump from breakout pitcher last spring to savvy veteran this season. 'She just has the confidence this year to attack those hitters, which I think has been the difference-maker with her this year,' Scaramuzzi said. Anthony puts fear into opponents with her bat, too. The Panthers were up only 1-0 after a sluggish start when Anthony came to the plate in the bottom of the third with one out and Garza on second. 'I was expecting a change-up,' Anthony said. 'All of our good hitters got first pitch change-ups. I'm not going to swing at a first pitch change-up. 'I saw an inside pitch and it was the best pitch I was going to get, so I took advantage of it and hit it hard.' Anthony took care of the rest in the circle, striking out the side in the seventh to put the finishing touches on her win. A year ago, Scaramuzzi would have been happy with advancing. After finishing third in the state and returning a ton of talent, though, the mindset has shifted. 'Last year, every win after we had our first win in the postseason was a surprise,' Scaramuzzi said. 'We didn't really have any expectations. This year, we said from the beginning the biggest challenge is managing expectations because we know we're that good.' Anthony, meanwhile, has been embracing that challenge. 'We just know we're capable of getting there and we're not playing down to any team,' Anthony said. 'We're here to win and to make a state run again. We're excited. It makes it way better. 'They're trying to beat us and we're like, no, that's not going to happen.'
