April started out as a pretty cruel month for Lemont’s Suzie Rzegocki.
The All-State softball pitcher was suspended the first six games for being at a teenage party where alcohol was present.
“As soon as I got there, I wanted to leave,” said Rzegocki, the senior right-hander who has signed with Purdue. “I could see there was drinking going on. The people that drove me there wanted to stay. I tried calling a friend to come pick me up, but then the police came.
“I should have left right away, but I just wasn’t thinking. I’ve learned now to be careful all the time. I think my teammates understand what happened, but they were still disappointed in me. I’m trying hard to make it up to them.”
Rzegocki posted an 8-1 record in April with one perfect game, six no-hitters and a one-hitter.
She gave up one earned run in 77 2/3 innings and had 171 strikeouts — more than two per inning.
Her earned-run average for April was 0.09, and she gave up just three walks.
More Top Picks Best Pop Up Canopy Tents
For all of that, Rzegocki is being honored as the Tribune/WGN-TV Athlete of the Month for April.
“That is quite an honor,” Rzegocki said. “I guess you’ve got to take the good with the bad. I’m glad April ended up on such a positive note.
“You don’t know how hard it was sitting out those games — just horrible. We’d lose a game, and I’d be sitting there knowing I could have done something about it.”
Rzegocki’s lone loss in the month came to Oak Forest, 2-1 in 20 innings as she tied a state record with 38 strikeouts. She was victimized by an error, stolen base and base hit in the top of the 20th.
“I wasn’t thinking about all the strikeouts until my dad (Pat Rzegocki) told me afterward. I said: ‘That many? That’s pretty cool.’ But you don’t want to lose with 38 strikeouts.”
In her final start of the month, Rzegocki fired a no-hitter against Evergreen Park on Monday with 19 strikeouts and no walks.
Rzegocki began May with a no-hitter against Shepard on Tuesday followed by a five-inning perfect game Wednesday against Hillcrest — her fifth straight no-hitter that tied a state record. Striking out all 15 Hillcrest hitters gave her 24 Ks in a row.
Both streaks were snapped by Oak Forest leadoff batter Cassie Rice’s bunt single in Thursday’s 3-2 loss.
Overall, Rzegocki is 10-3 with nine no-hitters — including two perfect games — and a 0.20 ERA. She has 219 strikeouts and three walks in 102 2/3 innings.
Her nine no-hitters are closing in on the state record of 13 set by Warrensburg-Latham’s Emily Alsup in 1999. Rzegocki had 11 no-hitters last year.
Complementing an overpowering fastball and riseball are her assortment of off-speed pitches that include a change-up, curve, dropball, screwball and knuckleball. Rzegocki is changing speeds more often in baffling hitters.
“There was a lot more pressure on me my sophomore and junior years, making a name for myself and trying to get a college softball scholarship,” Rzegocki said.
“Now, all I want to do is get my team Downstate. Winning a state championship — I think about it all the time.”
———-
*For more on Suzie Rzegocki, watch WGN-Ch. 9’s “Instant Replay” at 9:40 p.m. Sunday and the “WGN Morning News” from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday.