If you’re an opposing fielder and Andrew sophomore Madison Vrastil is on the bases, you’d best not:
Bobble the ball. Hesitate in any way. Or even blink, for that matter.
She’ll burn you.
“I’m just looking to get to the next base,” Vrastil said. “So when I see a chance, I take off and hope for the best.”
Vrastil made the most of her chances Thursday as host Andrew beat Stagg 14-4 in six innings in a SouthWest Suburban Red game.
Hailey Morsovillo was 4-for-4 for the Thunderbolts (5-4, 1-0). Vrastil had four hits and three RBIs, while right-hander Kathleen Hester struck out 12.
Jai Gutierrez doubled and hit a three-run homer for Stagg (4-5-1, 0-2). Erin Cowe added a double.
Vrastil was taking the extra base from her very first swing, which produced a line single to left field that was momentarily bobbled. In a flash, Vrastil was at second.
The next batter, Kaidence Bruno, dropped a bunt. As the ball was thrown late to first base, Vrastil rounded third and broke for home. She scored easily.
In her next at-bat, Vrastil doubled to the warning track in left. Bruno was at the plate again when Vrastil stole third.
Hester, watching from the dugout, must have blinked.
“I didn’t even see it,” Hester said, laughing. “I was like, ‘What just happened? She’s on third?'”
Vrastil, a catcher, is batting .483 with nine RBIs and 10 stolen bases.
Taking every inch of baseline is something Andrew coach Alyssa Gunther strived to do as a player for Wendy Podbielniak at Tinley Park.
Gunther appreciates the extra bases — and the effort — by Vrastil.
“It’s something that we work on as a whole team,” Gunther said. “It’s our whole staff’s philosophy.
“Madison is a high-caliber ballplayer. She gets very good reads on the ball, and when she’s hitting, she’s thinking two out of the box every time. It’s a lot of fun to watch.”
Vrastil doesn’t just steal the extra base. She steals inches behind the plate.
After one pitch that was a called strike, Hester stepped forward from the circle and pointed at Vrastil with a smile.
“Yeah, that was a low pitch that I didn’t really think was a strike,” Hester said. “But Madison framed it really nicely.
“I was excited. She did a good job. It helped the team out. It helped both of us out. I just get excited about such things.”
Hester helped herself with her strikeout pitch, which she used to retire at least one Stagg batter in every inning. Twice, she struck out the side.
Hester and Vrastil worked together last season for the first time.
“Oh, it’s really fun,” Hester said. “This season, we’re a lot more comfortable with each other and confident. Madison knows how to calm me down. When she comes to the circle, we do little dance breaks, just to get my head screwed on right. I really love that part of it.”
Morsovillo, meanwhile, is bringing the senior presence in the cleanup spot in the order. The North Central College commit is hitting .560 with nine RBIs. Three of her hits against Stagg were line-drive rockets, while the fourth was a single up the middle.
“I’m feeling great,” Morsovillo said. “It’s my last year, and I’m trying to go out with a bang. And we have a young team, so I’m trying to shape everybody up, trying to get them ready for next season too. I’m always looking to the future.”
And to the next leaders.
“Kathleen and Madison have adjusted so well,” Morsovillo said. “Kathleen came in her sophomore year and started dealing and dealing. Madison, she led off in her first freshman at-bat. From then on, we’ve had an awesome experience with both of them.”