Hampshire’s Stacey Stepek is a patient person in the very specific way that most coaches are patient.
“I’m patient when it comes to physical mistakes,” Stepek said. “When it comes to players making mental mistakes, I’m not. They know my expectation is to be mentally prepared.”
Unfortunately for Stepek, her girls committed too many mental errors in the field Tuesday against a good-hitting Marian Central team. The Hurricanes won 9-4 over the Whip-Purs at The Dome in Rosemont.
Hampshire pitcher Hayley Widmayer — the Whip-Purs’ lone senior — knows that patience will be key for a young but talented team this season.
“Me and the juniors are trying to lead everyone through the ins and outs,” Widmayer said. “Positive reinforcement, all the time. Once we eliminate the errors and buck up on defense, we’ll be good. I think people just need more experience.”
Widmayer struck out the side in the top of the first inning and neither team scored until the third, when Marian Central (1-0) scored three runs on three hits. Hampshire (2-2) answered by scoring all four of its runs in the bottom half of the third.
Jasmine Lopez, Peyton DeChant and Melissa Esparza singled in the inning, and Renee Malecke hit a two-run single with two outs to give the Whip-Purs a 4-3 lead after three innings.
Malecke moved around the field defensively last year, and Stepek believes she’s a different player now that she has settled into the starting spot in center field.
“Renee has built a lot of confidence from playing varsity last year and coming in and finding what her role and place will be this year. It’s a more comfortable atmosphere for her,” Stepek said.
Lopez and Esparza are freshmen, while varsity veterans DeChant and Malecke are sophomores. DeChant, who has already verbally committed to play for Loyola, had a double and two singles, while Ellie Lapi and Malecke also doubled.
Marian got to Widmayer with four runs in the fifth and two in the sixth and finished with a 12-10 edge in hits.
“Hayley wasn’t getting the calls she wanted from (the home plate umpire) but that went both ways,” Stepek said. “We still have to hit and play defense. It doesn’t change the game any.”
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Widmayer fought through the frustration of not getting calls that, on another day with another umpire, might be called strikes.
“I had to keep trying to hit my spots and try to adjust,” Widmayer said. “I’m usually good at controlling my frustration and staying cool on the mound, so that’s what I tried to do.”
Widmayer struck out nine against four walks. Marian Central starting pitcher Grace Shukis left the game after the third inning and Maddie Peters took over in the circle, holding Hampshire scoreless in four innings. The two combined for seven strikeouts.
“In this game, you have to have pitchers,” Marian Central coach Erin Widmayer said. “We’ve struggled without pitching for a while so it’s nice to have three quality pitchers this year. It’s the simplest thing: I have some pitching and I have some hitting. What could be better?”
Gary Larsen is a freelance writer.