At leadoff, Benet’s McGuire is ‘difference-maker‘

Updated: June 24, 2011 2:34PM

A mere three games into the 2011 softball season, Benet’s Maeve McGuire was ready to set the tone for the rest of the year.

The date was Monday, March 28, and Benet was playing a nonconference game at Neuqua Valley. In the sophomore’s first at-bat at the top of the lineup, in cold and windy conditions, McGuire smashed one of what would be many doubles this year. In the next inning, she hit a grand slam. In her final at-bat, she hit a two-run home run, yet the Redwings still lost, 10-7 on a late rally by the Wildcats.

McGuire didn’t turn into a home run queen — what leadoff hitter does, anyway? — but she still finished her sophomore campaign as one of the most unstoppable, hard-hitting, base-dwelling, walk-drawing, run-scoring, extra-base hitting players in the Naperville area. This future superstar — if she isn’t one already — is the 2011 Naperville Sun’s Softball Player of the Year.

“She is no doubt the igniter on our team,” Benet coach Jerry Schilf said. “She could have been our 3-4 hitter, but we like it when she starts things off because we know she can get on base. She’s our best bunter, yet she didn’t bunt once all year long. We want her to swing away because, more often than not, she’s going to end up on base. She’s definitely the difference-maker.”

Impressive stats

McGuire started all 42 games for Benet, which finished third overall in the state in Class 4A. She posted a season batting average of .469, led the Redwings in runs (49), walks drawn (32), stolen bases (19, she was only thrown out once), on-base percentage (.569), slugging percentage (.815) and extra-base hits (33). She was second in hits with 61. Twenty-six of those hits were doubles, which set a career program record already.

McGuire fell one double shy of the state single season record, which is held by Allie VadeBoncouer of Kankakee, who hit 27 in 2009. VadeBoncouer also holds the state doubles record with 73. Currently, at the bottom of the list, five girls are tied for 45.

“All those records are within reach by the end of her career,” Schilf said.

“I was very excited about sophomore year,” said McGuire, who spent the week after the state tournament in Alabama at a showcase with her team, the Southern Force. “My goal was to just get on base. I like leading off. I like being able to see the pitcher first.”

All this success for McGuire isn’t too big of a surprise. As a freshman in the leadoff spot, the right fielder led Benet in batting average (.389), scored 29 runs, with 44 hits, two home runs, 10 doubles, 19 RBI, an on-base percentage of .457 and a slugging percentage of .531. The biggest change from last year to this year was easy to see for older sister, Nora, a senior first baseman.

“She became more confident in her abilities to be fantastic at the plate and to be such a great leader for us at such a young age,” Nora said. “She’s the one who wants to be up there first to help the team. She’s so good at finding the holes and reading the defense. She sees the ball really well. We were confident she would score when she got on base.”

Key playoff hits

During Benet’s amazing playoff run, Maeve McGuire came up huge. In the sectional semifinal game against Naperville North, she hit a pair of RBI doubles and a single that eventually turned into a run. In the 5-0 sectional final win against Downers Grove South, she scored all four times she reached base.

In that game McGuire’s two doubles officially set the program record. She also hit an RBI double in the sixth inning, propelling the Redwings to a 4-1 win against Richards in the supersectional. In the third place game against New Trier, she went 3-for-5 with two RBI and scored a run in the 7-4 win.

All this success has caught the attention of Division I college coaches. Although she has not made her decision yet, Maeve said she may lean toward a school where the climate is warm. For now, Benet has her for the next two years.

“I don’t know where she will go, but it will be on the big stage somewhere,” Schilf said. “It’s going to be big Division I. She won’t sit on the bench. She will be in the mix. Her goal is to play in the College World Series some day, and I think that will happen for her.”

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