When Ryan Jones had to have surgery just before the playoffs began to repair a broken hamate bone in his right wrist, the natural assumption was that St. Rita would be without him for the rest of the way.
Jones, a junior infielder/pitcher, had other ideas. His original goal was to be ready if the Mustangs made it to state, but he was able to get back into the lineup even earlier to help make sure that they did.
“It feels great,” Jones said. “I’ve been thinking about it ever since I had my surgery, about how I wanted to try to get back and help the team in any way I can. It just feels awesome.”
Jones returned for Monday’s Class 3A Crestwood Supersectional and reached base three times in St. Rita’s 2-0 win over Nazareth, producing a single and drawing two walks.
Jones and the Mustangs (28-12) are set to take on East Peoria (27-13) at 10 a.m. Friday in a state semifinal at Slammers Stadium in Joliet.
St. Rita coach John Nee was holding out hope that he might get Jones back in the lineup if the Mustangs made it to state, but Monday’s appearance was certainly unexpected.
Especially because Jones still had his stitches in.
“He texted me Saturday afternoon and said, ‘Coach, are you going to be at St. Rita on Sunday?’” Nee said. “I asked why and he said, ‘I think I can take some swings.’ Our hitting coach met him. I threw to him in the cage (Monday). I called his dad to make sure he’s on board.
“He gets the stitches out (Tuesday) but he figured it’s 12 hours, let’s go.”
Jones was determined to be out there with his team, even if it meant playing with some pain.
“I’d like to credit my team for giving me some motivation to get out there and push through adversity and try to be the best that I can,” Jones said.
Jones has been one of St. Rita’s top hitters all season. He has a team-best .473 batting average and ranks third on the team in RBIs with 33. He has 24 runs and eight doubles.
He’s also pitched in out of the bullpen, going 2-0 with a 2.80 ERA over 10 appearances.
Jones hit in the cleanup spot Monday and his teammates, including Julio Gutierrez — who has had the hottest bat in the playoffs for the Mustangs — were certainly glad to see him there.
“Ryan’s back,” Gutierrez said. “It feels good to have him back. It just adds another hitter in our lineup who can rake. I love that he’s back.”
Jones had to get past the initial heartbreak of suffering a late-season injury and having his status for the postseason thrown up in the air.
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“It was hard going to practice knowing that I couldn’t do everything I wanted to and I had to sit around and watch,” he said. “But honestly, it was still pretty fun being with the guys.
“I just made the most out of it until I was ready to go.”
Jumping back into the lineup for a game with so much on the line was not easy, but Jones embraced the moment.
“It was definitely a little bit of a concern about how I would do or if I would struggle coming back,” he said. “But I was more excited to play in front of a big crowd and just do the best that I could.”
Now, the Mustangs have clinched the program’s fifth state trophy and first since 2019. They are two wins away from their first state championship.
“I felt this coming at the beginning of the year,” Jones said. “I knew we had a shot and I’ve been itching for it. Now we just need to keep the bats hot and keep the pitching going.”