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She has already pitched back-to-back no-hitters.
She has already thrown a shutout in a tournament championship game.
For her next act in the 2023 season, Lockport sophomore Alaina Peetz is going to …
“Ha-ha, I don’t know,” Peetz said. “I’m excited because we’re still going to play against some good competition in our conference. And I want to make it to state and help make a team accomplishment.”
Peetz (7-3), a hard-throwing right-hander, has 92 strikeouts and a 1.96 ERA in 60 innings for Lockport (14-3).
Kelcie McGraw and Peetz comprise one of the Southland’s most dominant sophomore pitching duos. As freshmen, they helped lead the Porters to 29 victories.
“I’d played with Kelcie before high school, so it was nice that I knew her going into my freshman season,” Peetz said. “And it helped having the support of the seniors, appreciating what I could bring to the team.”
The back-to-back no-hitters came against Montini and Plainfield North. Over the two games, Peetz recorded 22 strikeouts.
Lockport coach Marissa Chovanec confirmed it was a feat fit for the program’s history book.
“I think you’d have to go back to probably (Shannon) Lindgren to find the last time,” Chovanec said. “Alaina is just an incredibly hard worker and has a great presence. The heart she brings every day shows out on the field.”
In March, Peetz had eight strikeouts in five innings during a 15-0 win over Minooka in the WJOL Tournament championship game in Joliet.
“That was nice,” Peetz said. “Last season, we lost in extra innings to Lincoln-Way West. This year, we really wanted to come out and win that tournament. It was a lot of fun for all of us.”
Peetz, also a top player on the girls basketball team, will have college options. But she is leaning.
“I’d probably say softball,” she said. “As a pitcher, I feel that I can control the game more than in basketball. I love the feel of being on the mound in pressure situations.”
Hammerin’ Hester: Senior pitcher Kathleen Hester was given a surprise chance by Andrew coach Alyssa Gunther to bat this season on a semiregular basis.
It didn’t take long for an exciting payoff.
Hester hit the first home run of her softball career on April 11 in a 9-0 win. The towering shot to left field at Homewood-Flossmoor wasn’t a cheapie.
“I didn’t think it was going over at first,” Hester said. “I thought it was going to hit off the fence. Then I looked up and, ‘Oh, the ball is still going.’”
In the circle, Hester was typically effective, striking out 12 and allowing just two hits. But the home run? That was special.
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“My first one ever over the fence since I started playing when I was 5 years old,” Hester said, laughing. “When I got to home plate, somebody — I think it was Megan McClelland — said ‘That’s my P.O. right there.’
“It’s kind of this running joke in travel ball. I don’t hit much, so I’m referred to as P.O. (pitcher only). It felt really great.”
Stepping up: Senior outfielder Genevieve Peterson has been one of the surprise players for Providence so far this season.
The lefty slapper is batting .286 with nine hits and five stolen bases.
Last season, the Ave Maria recruit was used almost exclusively as a base runner. Celtics coach Jim Holba changed that script this spring.
“She was kind of our fourth outfielder because we had a lot of experience out there,” Holba said. “But she worked hard and did a lot for us as a courtesy runner for our pitchers and catchers.
“When we had our early season meeting, we said, ‘Hey, this is your opportunity to take control in right field.’ And she has kind of rolled with it. She’s done a nice job getting better being in the lineup every day.”
