Mundelein sophomore Avi Perez has demonstrated that she can play multiple positions during the course of her two varsity seasons.
Exclusively a catcher for her travel team, Perez has a much different role for the Mustangs. Classmate Sarah Benes handles the majority of the games behind the plate.
“Avi has caught, played left field, right field, designated player and also I think first base,” Mundelein coach Heather Ryan said. “Last year, it was the same thing. She played catcher, DP and first for one or two games. She’s very talented.
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“We have two phenomenal catchers, but the team needed an outfielder, and Avi stepped up big and did a great job when we needed her there. We are so impressed with the way she can play both sides of the ball.”
Perez said she’s happy to contribute in any form for the North Suburban Conference co-champion Mustangs.
“Hitting has always been my thing,” she said. “I feel like I’ve always felt more confident in myself hitting-wise. If I’m able to hit, I’m just happy to be in the game and don’t care where I play.
“I miss catching, but I’m happy. I just want to get in the game and focus on my hitting.”
Perez does provide a valuable bat in the lineup. She showed that, too, during the Class 4A Rosemont Supersectional on Monday. She hit a line-drive RBI double in the fourth inning to back senior pitcher Shae Johnson‘s dominant pitching performance as Mundelein defeated Lane Tech 3-0.
Senior center fielder Kieley Tomas and junior second baseman Devin Hill also drove in a run for the Mustangs (22-5), who are headed back to the state semifinals for the second time in three seasons and will play defending state champion Oswego (23-11) at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria at 4:45 p.m. Friday
“It’s a great achievement for our program to make state again,” Ryan said.
In a great at-bat, Perez got a good read on the ninth pitch she faced to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead over Lane Tech (22-10).
“When I went up there, I was looking for something middle out because on my last at-bat I swung at a lot of rise balls,” she said. “Once I got to two strikes, I choked up and tried to foul off anything close and to just wait for my pitch. It felt really good off my bat.”
Johnson wasn’t surprised.
“Avi is a really strong hitter at the plate and is really confident up there,” Johnson said. “She really steps up in big moments for us and seems to always come up big.”
Johnson (19-2), who led the Mustangs to state two years ago but didn’t pitch last season as she recovered from a torn labrum, baffled the Champions. The conference pitcher of the year, Johnson scattered three hits, walked two and struck out 11.
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“Today, my warmup started off rocky and wasn’t my best,” she said. “I was a little nervous going into the game, especially being back here, and there was a lot of excitement after missing last year because of my surgery.
“I just located my pitches and threw a lot of curves and screws and rises to get them. I got into the groove after throwing a few pitches.”
Perez, who is batting .342 with two homers, a triple, nine doubles, 19 RBIs and 23 runs scored, has felt like she’s in a groove too.
“This year, I feel a lot less pressure on me because last year, as a freshman, I was just trying to prove myself,” she said. “This year, I’m more comfortable on the field and know what I can do and trust myself.”
The Mustangs trust Perez too.
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.