Many pitchers give praise to their defensive teammates, but when Mother McAuley’s Maggie Welniak says it, believe it.
The sophomore pitcher has posted 11 strikeouts through her first 23 1/3 innings this season, but the Mighty Macs’ defense has come through for her in a big-time manner.
“I know that I don’t have the most speed ever,” she said. “But I know I have a great group behind me. I just try to make sure I get the hitters to pop up and my teammates make the great plays.
“I make sure I don’t throw the ball right down the middle.”
Welniak made sure she put the ball in the right spots most of the time Wednesday, allowing just two earned runs for McAuley in a 4-3 nonconference win over host Evergreen Park.
St. Olaf commit Chloe Jacklin hit her second home run of the season for the Mighty Macs (3-1), while Lily Ingolia and Makenna Juarez each chipped in with RBIs.
Shelby Izzo tallied three hits for Evergreen Park (5-1), which had the potential winning run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh. Juarez snared a line drive at second base, however, and threw the ball to Madison Marshall at first for the game-ending double play.
Although the Mustangs entered the game averaging 14.4 runs, Welniak was able to shut them down despite not recording a strikeout.
“I told her in the third inning, ‘Mags, you have a very good defense behind you and they are there for you,”’ said Bill Fitzgerald, who’s in his first year as McAuley’s coach. “I told her to keep doing what she’s doing and make them hit pop-ups and fly balls.
“She puts a little spin on the ball and makes outs happen.”
While Welniak made her varsity debut as a freshman, she has been be tasked with even more responsibility this spring.
“We are counting on her right away,” Fitzgerald said of Welniak. “I knew she was going to be our starter going into the season. We also have two freshmen pitchers, so it’s a young pitching staff.”
Jacklin, a senior catcher who wasn’t with the team last season, has enjoyed working with Welniak.
“She’s super consistent and hits her spots,” Jacklin said of Welniak. “We just have that connection. I can talk to her. We know what’s going on.
“Right from the start, I could see she wasn’t trying to blow anyone out of the water. She gets batters to hit the ball and let the defense work.”
Welniak has been around softball for much of her life. Her aunt, Kara McEldowney, played in college for Loyola after starring at Maria.
Katie Schoeberl, Welniak’s cousin, made her mark as a volleyball player at Marist, but before that, was a pitcher for the Beverly Bandits and taught Welniak a few things about the sport.
“I would always see her throwing pitches in the backyard and I would watch her,” Welniak said of Schoeberl. “I knew how good she was and she threw fast.
“When we went out of town to family events, we would bring our mitts and she would play with me all the time. I always hoped I would be able to pitch like that.”
Welniak added that her brother, Jack, is dating Tennessee pitcher Sage Mardjetko, the former Lemont standout. Welniak has been able to pick her brain about pitching.
Her father, Ken, also had a big hand in developing her career.
“My dad is probably one of the biggest reasons I love softball,” she said. “He would always get me out in the backyard every day, and he’s a big reason I am where I am today.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
