Genevieve Gonzales is trusting in the process espoused by second-year Metea Valley coach Michaela Paprota, and it’s paying dividends.
Batting third in the order in her third year on the varsity, the junior shortstop has become the Mustangs’ leading run-producer with 27 RBIs.
“She’s been one of our top hitters and has been phenomenal overall for us,” Paprota said. “She’s been a leader in that position and does everything right.
“It’s a testament to her and the hard work she’s put in that have really driven her stats this year.”
So far this spring, Gonzales is hitting .373 with a team-high 10 doubles and one home run. She was at it again Monday as improving Metea came up short in a 7-3 DuPage Valley Conference setback at Naperville North.
Gonzales ripped a two-run, two-out double down the left field line in the third inning off Charlotte Chelich. The hard-throwing left-hander started on fire, recording seven strikeouts in that span.
One of those strikeouts was Gonzales in the first inning, but she managed to reach first for Metea (10-15, 6-3) on a dropped third strike and advanced to third base on wild pitches.
Chelich and sophomore Charlie Benesh, her Mustangs counterpart, struggled to get a good grip on softballs that were difficult to keep dry in soggy conditions after morning rain.
“It’s spring season softball,” Paprota said. “It’s cold. It’s hot. It’s wet. It’s all things. Both pitchers did a good job dealing with it.”
Gonzales, who added a single in the fifth, is preceded in the batting order by returning all-conference junior outfielders Reese Valha and Riley O’Neill.
In the third inning, Valha and O’Neill solved Chelich for pop-up single that dropped into short left field and an infield single, respectively.
“I had been fouling off pitches I don’t normally hit, which I think was her rise ball,” Gonzales said. “Coach Paprota called time before my (second) at-bat and gave me some good advice.”
That message?
Wait for a pitch in her zone.
“We took pitches teams don’t usually take, which set us up to get good pitches that we could hit when we timed her,” Paprota said. “The top of my order did really well.”
Naperville North (16-6, 9-0) clinched the conference title outright after tying Neuqua Valley last season.
“Having it by ourselves feels a little better,” Naperville North coach Jerry Kedziora said. “It’s a nice little accomplishment.”
Chelich (9-2), who finished with 13 strikeouts, has 152 in 71 innings. Benesh (7-8) pitched well but was hurt by three unearned runs.
Metea can clinch second place in conference Thursday with a win over Naperville Central (10-17, 4-4).
With the trio of three-year vets returning next season, along with sophomore cleanup hitter and third baseman Claire Desrosiers, the future looks bright for the Mustangs.
“They have great athletes out there right now,” Kedziora said. “And they’re gonna be even better.”
O’Neill finished with three hits to lift her average to .323. Valha is batting .425 with a team-high 37 hits.
“Valha knows the game well, has a great eye and sees pitches well,” Paprota said. “She’s super gritty in the box and she’s just clutch. Riley is a triple threat at the plate, which is huge because she’s so fast. She can put down a bunt, slap or swing for power.
“I think we can do big things in the regional.”
Stepping up big: Senior pitcher Kaitlyn Schofield did a little bit of everything for Newark (25-1) in a 3-2 win in 11 innings over Herscher (20-7), which is seeded first in its side of the upcoming Class 2A Pontiac Sectional.
Schofield (9-0) hit a pair of solo homers, then was intentionally walked twice and was driven in by Danica Peshia with the winning run. In the circle, Schofield struck out 13 and scattered three hits and a walk in going the distance.
Heating up: Junior pitcher Hannah Laub is on a tear at the plate for Waubonsie Valley (3-18), going 6-for-7 with a double, two home runs and four RBIs last week.
