Softball notebook

Updated: April 27, 2011 12:00PM

Missing five games this year was five games too many for Amanda Minihan.

Minihan, the starting shortstop on Waubonsie Valley’s softball team, however, had a good reason for sitting out. The sophomore was hit on the chin by a ground ball, fell backward and suffered a concussion.

Minihan tried to come back days after the accident, but was still dealing with headaches and dizziness.

“I hated sitting out,” said Minihan, who usually bats third in the lineup. “I came back too soon, but I’m back now. I passed the concussion test. No more headaches. I’m good to go.”

Minihan’s first full game back was a good one. In last Wednesday’s 17-8 nonconference win over Oswego, she scored five runs, drew a pair of walks, stole three bases and hit a single, double and a triple.

“This is what she needed,” Waubonsie Valley coach Aly Kelley said after the game. “It was tough for her because she had to sit out. She saw what was going on and she wanted to jump in. She knew she had to get healthy because the brain and the head, you don’t mess with that. When she came back to practice, we had her doing light stuff, and she jumped right back in it.

“She’s young, but she’s a gamer. She just wants to win. She usually is going to make something happen — that’s what kind of kid she is.”

Injury report

The only other player on Waubonsie Valley who has had to sit out is Katie Benson. The junior infielder had knee surgery in February and was recently cleared to take batting practice.

Other area players dealing with knee ailments include a pair of Naperville North players — Danielle Spizzirri and Bella Masini. Spizzirri, the right-fielder, sat out last season after recovering from a benign tumor in her knee. Masini, the second baseman, has to wear a brace on her left knee due to a torn ACL.

“Hopefully, the brace will come off soon,” Naperville North coach Jerry Kedziora said. “She’s OK, she’s doing fine, and (Spizzirri) seems to be doing pretty good too. (Masini) is going to be sliding pretty soon, so she’ll be ready to go. She’s playing some really good defense now.”

Neuqua Valley junior Kat Widup is almost 100 percent after having off-season shoulder surgery, but other than that, the Wildcats are healthy.

“We’ve been lucky,” Neuqua Valley coach Melissa Wilson said.

The other three teams — Metea Valley, Benet and Naperville Central — all claim to be injury and pain free.

“All good so far,” Mustangs coach Kris Kalivas said.

“It hasn’t been a problem,” Naperville Central coach Andy Nussbaum said.

Added Benet coach Jerry Schilf: “We’ve been pretty good.”

Battling the elements

Even if teams are struggling with basic bumps and bruises and wear and tear, they’ve had time to rest here and there last week. Due to poor and rainy weather conditions, every area team has had to reschedule games.

Neuqua Valley went over a week without playing. The doubleheader scheduled with Naperville Central April 16 was rained out and will, unfortunately, probably not be rescheduled. The Wildcats’ other nonconference game with Naperville North April 21 also was canceled because the Huskies’ DuPage Valley Conference game with Wheaton Warrenville South had to be played instead.

“We are scrambling right now,” Neuqua coach Wilson said. “But everyone is in the same boat.”

Naperville Central also had to revamp its schedule. It will play nonconference Plainfield East at home May 13 and Sandburg at home May 20. A game against DVC opponent West Aurora rescheduled for Tuesday was postponed again and is pending a new date.

“You just can’t get too worked up over (rescheduling games),” Nussbaum said. “The weather is out of our hands. We’ll get the games in one way or the other.”

Metea Valley has a full week ahead with Streamwood today, Oswego East on Thursday and Lake Park May 9.

“This will be a true test for us, especially because we are such a young team,” Kalivas said.

Benet has lucked out when it comes time to rescheduling and missing games. The only makeup game the Redwings have to play is a doubleheader at Providence May 3.

“We are not in as bad shape as some of the other teams,” Schilf said.

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