Oswego East’s grounds were soggy from the recent heavy rains, but surprisingly, the softball field was ready to play Wednesday. And so was pitcher Tristin Hyland.
Hyland made her first varsity start in a nonconference game against DeKalb.
What kind of marks did the junior right-hander earn?
Definitely a thumbs-up, all around.
“Tristin does have experience pitching in travel,” Oswego East coach Sarah Davies-Dymanus said. “We brought her up last year with the intent of pitching her. Unfortunately, she broke her thumb.”
Hyland took a ground ball off her pitching hand last season and was sidelined for the spring. Now, she’s one of five pitchers on the Wolves’ staff.
She made the most of her opportunity Wednesday, retiring nine straight batters to open the game and facing the minimum through four hitless innings in a 6-0 victory.
Hyland struck out four and scattered three hits and a walk as Oswego East (5-2) played errorless ball behind her on a chilly day with a strong wind blowing in from right field.
“I’m never disappointed because if I pitch, I pitch,” Hyland said. “If not, we have four other girls who can really pitch, so I don’t get disappointed.
“Obviously, it’s cold, but the other team is playing in it, too. I’m just gonna ride it out. And if I think it’s warm, it’s warm.”
Junior shortstop Mary Kate Quaid provided all the runs Hyland needed with RBI singles in the first and third innings, adding a third single in the fifth against DeKalb (1-3).
“We brought her up as a sophomore last year and put her in the (player) rotation pretty quickly,” Davies-Dymanus said of Quaid. “She played mainly third base and right field but she’s transitioned to shortstop and caught a few games.
“Hitting wise, Mary Kate is very consistent. She’s been in the four spot all year. She’s one of our more consistent power hitters. She can get a hold of it and send it pretty good.”
So can senior third baseman Kenzie Gatz. A St. Mary’s Minnesota commit who is the No. 1 starter for the Wolves, she belted a two-run double in the fifth for insurance.
Junior designated player Ronnie Craft, who also had three hits, highlighted a two-run surge in the sixth inning with an RBI single.
“I’m generally more of a spin pitcher than a speed pitcher, but most of the game I throw rise balls and it seems to work,” Hyland said. “The defense was really good behind me.”
Senior center fielder Mia Corres
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provided a highlight, charging in to catch a liner just over the infield and firing to first for a double play in the fourth inning.Davies-Dymanus said she paired Hyland with senior catcher May Pasqualini, a Missouri-St. Louis recruit, “because May calls a great game and I wanted her to get that experience working with May.”
Pasqualini and Quaid share the bulk of catching and shortstop responsibilities for the team.
“We talked about the pitches she likes to throw,” Pasqualini said of Hyland. “The key with the wind blowing in, I was trying to keep the ball low in the zone so they’d at least be hitting it on the round.
“If they did get it up in the air, hopefully they’d get underneath it and our fielders would do the work.”
That sums it up.
“Tristin has a lot of spin and when it’s on, it’s really hard for hitters to adjust,” Pasqualini said. “I tried to mix up a lot of spinning pitches with her rise, drop and mix up the location inside and outside.
“She did a great job.”