West Aurora junior catcher Macie Spenny definitely has a lot on the ball, both on and off the field.
So much so, in fact, one has to wonder where the co-captain and third-year varsity player finds the time between sports, academics and a seemingly full docket of volunteer work to get it all done.
The talented multitasker does, however.
“I love doing volunteer work — I think it’s fun, personally,” said Spenny, who added flag football last fall to a sports regimen that includes Wasco Diamonds travel softball. “Even when I’m in college and probably when I get out, I’ll probably volunteer a lot.
“Even though I’m not getting paid to do those things, it’s just fun to help out. There’s just something about it.”
But the ball didn’t bounce Spenny or the Blackhawks’ way Wednesday in an 11-1 five-inning loss to fifth-seeded Plainfield North in a Class 4A Naperville Central Regional semifinal at Knoch Park.
It sends the Tigers (17-10) to the 11 a.m. Saturday championship game against the third-seeded host Redhawks (24-3), who escaped 14th-seeded Batavia 3-2 on Tuesday.
“We knew it was going to be tough because their record is pretty good,” Spenny said. “They beat South Elgin from our conference and we came close twice in losses to South Elgin, but we knew if we played like that we had the potential.
“That first inning was kind of rough.”
The 11th-seeded Blackhawks (14-16) committed two errors in Plainfield North’s four-run first inning and mustered just one hit with a third-inning single from freshman second baseman Eva Acevedo.
Senior pitcher Lila Pifer, who only struck out out and walked three, picked up the win.
“That was a tough one,” said West Aurora coach Randy Hayslett, pointing to injuries that weakened the team’s overall defense. “Not how we wanted to go out.
“Plainfield North put the ball in play a lot. We knew we could put the bat on the ball. They just simply made more defensive plays than we did.”
Spenny came into the game hitting .304. She walked in the first inning and added a sacrifice fly in third that drove in junior third baseman Nevaeh Keys, who walked in front of Acevedo’s hit.
Spenny, who plays both middle infield positions in travel ball, finished the high school season with 23 runs, three homers and 23 RBIs.
“We moved her to second in the order to help us up there near the top,” Hayslett said. “She’s solid at the plate and she’s probably our best bunter. She’s had a couple drag bunts for hits.
“She’s been pretty good behind the plate. We want her back there to set up the short game. She’s got a cannon, a great arm. I think she has one of the best arms around.”
The two sources of Spenny’s volunteer work are her school’s National Honor Society and through the Youth Engagement Philanthropy program, a youth-led initiative of the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley. In YEP, students receive grant requests from nonprofit organizations and decide which ones to fund.
“We have like around 25 grants we donate,” Spenny said.
NHS students perform volunteer hours each year. Spenny will organize the group’s tutoring program for fellow students next year.
Spenny, who has a 4.5 GPA, also trains individually with catching instructor and Kaneland coach Mike Kuefler.
“It’s fun working with him,” said Spenny, whose goal is to play in college. “He’s really cool and I feel like he supports me a lot, college recruiting-wise as well. He always has good drills that I use outside the facility.”
Kuefler calls Spenny one of his top catchers.
“Not too many kids work as hard as she does,” he said. “I love training her and competing against her.”
