It’s an eye-opening experience when Chicago Christian’s Lizzie Sedakis swings at a pitch in the sweet spot and hits the ball to kingdom come.
It’s even more impressive what she does with a pitch up around the shoulders.
Or even higher.
During a recent game, the right-handed slugger put her arms up to swing at an eye-level pitch. She sent a line drive that hit the fence on the fly.
“I love those high pitches,” Sedakis said. “I spent a lot of years learning my swing. Now, I finally understand how to get on top of it and hit a line drive.”
Sedakis hit early and often Tuesday for the Knights in a 17-2 nonconference victory over Argo.
Nikki Swiney added a single, double and triple for Chicago Christian (4-0). Jeri Bradford pitched the win and also contributed three hits and four RBIS.
Trinity Graciano contributed a two-run single for Argo (0-3).
Sedakis, a junior shortstop, reached base and scored four times. Among her hits was a scorching double that one-hopped the fence in right-center.
At short, she played errorless ball, recording three assists and a putout.
“I’m just having a lot of fun,” Sedakis said. “It’s my junior year and we’re having a full season. I’m just going for it.”
Through four games, Sedakis is hitting an astonishing .800 with four doubles and two home runs, although Chicago Christian coach Kevin Pittman wouldn’t use the word astonishing.
It’s only natural.
“There’s a reason she’s such a talented hitter,” Pittman said. “She works really hard. Even after an ACT prep class, she’ll go home and get some swings in.”
No question, Sedakis takes it seriously.
“I have a batting cage in my backyard,” she said. “Some days I need some rest, but otherwise I’ll get out there and do what I can do. Even if it’s one bucket, I’ll get in 15 minutes of hitting.”
As a sophomore, Sedakis earned conference MVP honors. Overall, she hit .631 with 40 runs, 10 doubles, four triples, seven homers and 40 RBIs.
Beyond that, there’s her glove at shortstop.
She takes that seriously too.
“Even when you watch her take ground balls during batting practice, she plays every ball like it’s the bottom of the seventh with two outs,” Pittman said. “She’ll boot a ground ball that’s a tough play and she’s mad as all get out at herself. And that’s in BP.
“She can do it all. When had one of our pitchers who was coming back from an injury, I asked Liz, ‘If she needs it, can you come in and close?’ She was like, ‘Yeah, absolutely.’ She’s more than capable of doing anything she’s asked to do.”
Her powerful swing on those high pitches?
Pittman will go with astonishing there.
“She gets her hands at that level and is able to drive the ball on those pitches better than anybody that I’ve seen,” Pittman said. “I know I can’t do it.
“When I played baseball and that pitch was up there, I’d go after that thing and hit a sky high pop-up someplace. She very rarely does that. Her eye at the plate is phenomenal.”
Another standout during Tuesday’s win was Bradford. The senior right-hander allowed just three hits. With her bat, she also had two doubles and a single.
“That felt nice,” Bradford said. “I felt like I had a really bad day in the previous game. I just came back and rebounded. That’s all I could ask for.”
Bradford, who also plays first base and outfield, has rebounded well from an ACL injury suffered during her sophomore season.
“I’m just really proud of Jeri,” Pittman said. “She has battled hard through injuries, and this is the first time she’s really been healthy in a couple of years.
“For her first pitching turn of the season, I thought she did a fantastic job. She kept us in the game and our girls made the plays behind her. It was good to see.”
