Why softball? I used to be a gymnast, but my mom and dad are both baseball people. My mom signed me up for a girls softball league in Woodridge when I was 6. I love it so much. It’s so unpredictable. You can have a good day or a bad day, but it doesn’t make you any worse of a player.
You have a .529 batting average, one of the highest in the Chicago area, with 42 RBI in 25 games and carry a 3.97 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. How do you stay on top of your game and your studies? It has been tough this year. My parents help. They’re huge on schoolwork and taught me that it’s important to get good grades. I can’t stand it if I get a B. I want to be a physical therapist or teacher, as long as I can work with people.
What does it take to be a good hitter? A lot of work. I see my hitting coach [Steve Ball] every week. I take swings as much as I can. I work on my swing, my mechanics and my confidence. [Major-leaguer] Kenny Lofton once said: ‘‘See the ball, hit the ball.’’ That’s my philosophy. You can’t be timid. You must attack the ball.
When you were asked to rate your ability to hit, you said you were above average. Are you too modest? Maybe I’m modest, but we all have room to improve. You won’t get a hit 100 percent of the time. If you go 3-for-10, you’re a great hitter.
How do you get an edge on a pitcher? Be patient, work the count, make her throw the pitch you’re looking for, foul off as many pitches as you need, battle until you get your pitch.
Coach Ron Havelka said you are one of the top five hitters he has seen in 16 years. Are you flattered? Absolutely. It shows he has a lot of respect for me, and that’s important.
You have committed to Loyola. Alabama, once rated No. 1, called last fall, but you chose to stay close to home. Why? When I started to look at schools and made some visits, one big thing I was looking for was small class sizes. You can’t focus and get good grades at a huge school with lecture halls. Loyola was a good fit. And I want to be in the city. I couldn’t imagine if my parents couldn’t see me play.
Do you have any superstitions? I wear the same ponytail for every game. I always have to hit first in warmups. And [teammate] Ashley Dec and I have to play catch before every game.
Your team was state runner-up two years ago and fourth last year. How important is it to go back to the state finals? It would absolutely make everyone’s time at Downers Grove South so much better. It was the most amazing memory to go to state. As a freshman, my older sister Jeanette was on the team with me. That made it special. I got so close to her that year. Being able to share that experience with her was irreplaceable.
Do you have personal goals? My batting average doesn’t matter. I want to go to the state finals again. Numbers don’t matter. It just matters how many wins we pull out in the state playoffs.
Cubs or Sox? That’s not even a good question. I would never say Sox. I was born and raised a Cubs fan. I watched my mom cry with the Bartman ball. I’ve been to a Sox game. But it wasn’t fun. I didn’t enjoy it as much as a Cubs game. It wasn’t as friendly.
Four people I would invite to my birthday party ... Derrek Lee, Ron Santo and my paternal grandparents, who died before I was born.
Nobody knows this about me ... I think Wrigley Field is the most romantic place in the world.
How do you relax? With family and friends. My family is a huge part of how I relax, to get away from the game and school. Going to the movies with friends also is relaxing.
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