Freshman pitcher Emily Chavosky wasn’t ready to be the staff ace for Richards.
Junior pitcher Bridget Walsh certainly wasn’t ready to be a coach.
Such became their fate this spring when Walsh went down with a knee injury during the first day of practice for the Bulldogs.
“I was actually playing first base and was taking a throw from right field,” Walsh said. “When I went to turn to throw it home, my foot stayed planted and my knee twisted the wrong way.”
Walsh had surgery on May 3. She’ll return for the Bulldogs in 2024.
Chavosky? It was basically, “Here’s the ball, kid.”
“I was really upset that I wasn’t going to have someone there to help me,” Chavosky said. “I was also upset because Bridget couldn’t be successful this season.”
As it turned out, Chavosky has received a bunch of help from Walsh. And she has become a freshman with flair for the Bulldogs.
Chavosky has 146 strikeouts in 121 innings while keeping Richards (14-10, 9-8) among the competitive teams in the South Suburban Conference. She’s also batting well over .300 with two home runs.
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“Coach” Walsh is very happy with the progress of her protégé.
“She was nervous at first, getting put into such a big spot right away,” Walsh said of Chavosky. “But she’s come on and done a real nice job all season.
“I’m happy to help her and I look forward to pitching with her next season.”
Chavosky, meanwhile, isn’t lacking for guidance.
“Bridget helps me in the bullpen before games,” Chavosky said. “She gives me critiques in the nicest way possible. She motivates me to be better.
“I had big shoes to fill when she got injured. She really helps me fill them.”
Stepping up: Although Beecher’s Ava Lorenzatti hasn’t beaten them all, the freshman right-hander has done more than hold her own against some of the Southland’s top Class 3A and 4A programs.
Lorenzatti has 201 strikeouts in 88 innings. On April 24, she did what no other pitcher has done this season against Class 4A powerhouse Lincoln-Way East.
She shut out the Griffins for a 2-0 victory.
Bobcats coach Kevin Hayhurst has a real ace to deal in the 2A playoffs.
“Ava always gives us a chance to win,” Hayhurst said. “She’s very mature with how to get good hitters out. She has good location, good movement, good velocity on the ball.”
Lorenzatti has also faced off and beaten Ottawa, Homewood-Flossmoor, Morris and Oak Forest. She’s battled in close losses to Lincoln-Way Central and Lemont.
“It is challenging,” Lorenzatti said. “I think it’s just great to have the experience against these bigger schools. If you lose, there is really nothing that you lose. You just get more experience to take with you to regionals, sectionals and state.”
Tough kid: St. Laurence sophomore Jordan Ogean was struck in the face by a tough-hop grounder during warm-ups for a May 10 game against Marian Catholic.
Bleeding from her mouth, she left the field for repairs. Before a trainer even arrived, Ogean had washed her mouth out with water and was back in line, motioning to Vikings coach Teagan Walsh.
“My first question was, ‘Do you have all your teeth?'” Walsh said. “Then she came back in and wanted another ground ball. You don’t have to tell Jordan to toughen up.”
When you play at the hot corner, you expect such things.
“We already knew the field was hard and bouncy,” Ogean said. “At the last second, before it hit my glove, it just popped up into my chin. It was like a cut inside and got kind of numb.
“It’s not that bad.”
Ogean showed her grit by making the play on a sharp bouncer to end the first inning. She later doubled and singled to drive in three runs as the Vikings won 10-2.