Armed with the knowledge that this is her final year playing softball, Loyola senior shortstop Avery Yalowitz has played loose. And, as a result, she’s thrived for the Ramblers.
Yalowitz, who has decided she will not play in college, possessed an impressive .500 batting average through 17 games and has been steady run producer with 13 RBIs in the middle of the Loyola lineup. She’s also hit three home runs.
“I think every single time I go up to the plate I have the mentality that I’m going to get a hit,” said Yalowitz, a resident of the Irving Park community area in Chicago. “I just keep that mentality, because it’s a huge confidence booster having that positive mindset. It really creates a positive impact. So I think just thinking I will get a hit every time I go up, regardless if I end up getting a hit or not, it just helps me overall with my attitude.”
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Yalowitz is in her fourth season as a member of the varsity team and while she’s always been an integral part of the Ramblers’ lineup, she’s elevated her play significantly this season, coach Michelle Farrell-Fink said.
“This year she’s really leading us,” Farrell-Fink said. “She’s really grown as a person and a player since I’ve known her and she’ll be a big loss for the team.”
Loyola’s leadoff hitter, junior Nora Conway, has a .458 on-base percentage and has often been chased home by Yalowitz, usually the team’s third hitter.
“I feel like going up in front of her, it kind of relaxes me knowing I have her behind me,” said Conway, a resident of the Edison Park community area in Chicago. “Even if I mess up, she’ll be there to help me out and pick me up and everything.”
Yalowitz, who has an OPS of 1.367 and has scored a team-high 15 runs, said she dedicated herself this offseason to fine-tuning her swing, noting that she focused on extending her hands more in particular. She said she spent hours working on her swing by hitting off tees and hitting soft toss in order to prepare for her final season.
“The more I practiced, the better I got,” Yalowitz said. “And luckily it’s been paying off this season so far.”
Yalowitz’s production has been much needed for Loyola. The Ramblers (5-12, 2-9 Girls Catholic Athletic Red) have had no issues scoring runs. Loyola has, however, had trouble keeping the other team off the scoreboard.
A prime example was the Ramblers’ 17-16 victory over Trinity on April 12 in Glenview. While the Ramblers are averaging 6.6 runs per game, they have been outscored 128-113.
Yalowitz, also an accomplished defensive player at shortstop, acknowledged the struggles to record outs have been frustrating, but that this season is about more than wins and losses for her.
“I’m not playing after high school, so all I was looking for out of this season was to have fun,” Yalowitz said. “Winning is definitely important to me. It’s great to win and it’s a bummer losing, but that’s not something I necessarily care about as much, because I’ve been focused on having fun and making sure the whole team is happy and having a good time.”
That approach has been conducive to individual success and has also translated to a close-knit team, led by Yalowitz.
“She’s one of the senior leaders and one of the go-to people that if something’s going on she comes to us and we go to her,” Farrell-Fink said. “She’s really stepped up and taken over that leadership role without even being considered a captain. She’s really taken over the leadership role out of all the seniors this year.”
Brett Christie is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press