Sophomore third baseman Claire Desrosiers sees every at-bat for Metea Valley as an opportunity — as the ultimate dance between the hitter and the pitcher.
Part of that comes from the side of the batter’s box she steps into. The other part is sensing the possibilities while being adamant about not getting forced into a box.
“I’m left-handed,” Desrosiers said in starting to explain her mindset as a hitter. “I never tried to go to the opposite field when I was younger. I tried to pull everything.
“I have learned now to drive the ball that way. It is really beneficial. I don’t have as many pop-ups or groundouts. Now I started driving the ball over the fence.”
That made a big difference Wednesday for the Mustangs as Desrosiers hit an RBI double to the opposite field in a 5-4 DuPage Valley Conference victory over Waubonsie Valley.
Desrosiers boosted her batting average to .375 with 14 runs, three homers and 16 RBIs for Metea Valley (8-13, 5-2), which captured its third consecutive victory.
Her home run total leads the team. She also has a .478 on-base percentage
“I am playing to think like a coach out there,” Desrosiers said. “The girls are always there for me. I feel really welcome and safe.
“Even when things go wrong, they pick me up and I just feel more confident. When great things happen, that is even better.”
Junior outfielder Reese Valha also went 3-for-4, scored two runs and drove in an RBI for the Mustangs.
Junior pitcher Hannah Laub was a two-way standout for Waubonsie (1-18, 0-8). She went 3-for-4 with an RBI and struck out six while pitching a seven-inning complete game.
Laub doubled but was thrown out at the plate trying to score the tying run in the bottom of the seventh. The play underscored the toughness and resilience of a team playing for pride.
“The season has been pretty tough,” Laub said. “But we have been doing really well at working hard and going in the right direction. We are keeping most of our games to one run.
“We are making fewer errors and we are hitting the ball a lot better. Losing is tough, but our chemistry is good. We’re friends outside of softball, and that makes it more fun to be here.”
Sophomore right-hander Charlie Benesh, Laub’s counterpart, also went the distance. She struck out eight while allowing four runs on seven hits and five walks.
With Waubonsie runners at first and second base in the bottom of the seventh and one out, Benesh ended the game with back-to-back strikeouts.
“I am more of an off-speed thrower and I like to throw the batter off,” she said. “I like to keep them on their toes. That makes it more difficult for them to hit harder balls.”
Benesh has worked hard to find her place for the Mustangs.
“I think the biggest challenge is just trying to connect with the team because all of these girls have been playing for years together,” Benesh said. “We are bonding and learning how to play with each other really well.”
Desrosiers, meanwhile, has demonstrated speed, power at the plate and, now, the ability to hit to all fields.
“Playing at the faster pace of the varsity game has just kept me more focused,” she said. “I just want to maintain my confidence and do the work on things that I need.”
Every day is a chance to improve and grow.
“I feel in love with the sport as soon as I started playing it,” Desrosiers said. “Now softball is like something I can never give up. There’s never a dull moment.
“I can’t wait to come to practice every day. I am always excited to go play.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.