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Meet Gia Cobert, who could come to be known as the instigator if she can maintain her current pace for Waubonsie Valley.
In her third varsity season, the left-handed junior bats leadoff and plays center field for the Warriors.
Cobert sets the tone for a productive offense, hitting .533 in the team’s first four games. Now, if only the young team’s defense could catch up.
“I love having her in the leadoff spot,” Waubonsie Valley coach Valerie Wood said of Cobert. “When gets on base, we’re almost guaranteed a run.
“She already has four stolen bases. She’s so fast and so aggressive on the bases. I just keep pushing her to the limit.”
Cobert was at it again Thursday, going 2-for-3 with a double and infield single, but they were the only two hits the Warriors could muster off West Chicago sophomore Jasmyn Trigueros in a 7-0 loss.
It was the first time Waubonsie’s offense has been shut down, entering the game averaging 8.7 runs after losing 8-7 to Bartlett, 12-11 to Glenbard West and 11-8 to Plainfield East.
Junior lefty Hannah Laub was the hard-luck losing pitcher, scattering seven hits while striking out eight, walking two and hitting two.
Leadoff hitter Sophia Ptak greeted Laub with a line drive, opposite-field home run to right to open the game for the Wildcats (2-2). The remaining runs were all unearned.
“It’s tough when the defense fails like that,” Wood said. “We have a very young team this year. A lot of the girls have never played varsity, and we’re starting three freshmen.
“It’s a mental game, and you have to know what to do with the ball. We have work to do, but we can get there.”
Cobert is now 8-for-15 with three doubles, five runs and three RBIs.
She stole second base in the top of the sixth and tried to take the extra base on an errant throw but was cut down at third on a contested call.
“I feel like she was safe,” Wood said. “I don’t think they tagged her. What I told her is we’re going to keep pushing her to the limit. I have to see what she can do. She’s fast enough she can do those double steals.
“I’m going to keep having her steal. I said, ‘You’re going to get thrown out from time to time. It’s bound to happen, but we have to see what you can do.’”
Cobert earned all-conference honors last season after batting .409 with 26 runs, 12 stolen bases, eight doubles, two triples and two home runs.
Wood thinks the program’s season steal record of 30, held by Veronica Zahn, is within Cobert’s reach.
“We’ll be trying to see if we can get close to it,” Wood said. “It’s kind of hard, but I’m trying to get her there.”
Getting safely on base will be a key.
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“She’s a good leadoff hitter,” Wood said. “Gia can slap and she can bunt. If ever there’s a time when she’s not seeing the ball well, she can do those two things to get herself on base.
“Whatever she can do to get on base, she has the green light all day.”
Cobert prefers to keep swinging away.
“I learned to slap at a pretty young age,” she said. “I do better getting on when I just hit away. If I do get a piece of the ball, I know it’s going to go, so I just kind of live by that.”
She leads off for her Wheatland Spikes travel team and uses the same philosophy for Waubonsie.
“If I want to freshen up the (slapping) skills, I might do it for a while,” Cobert said. “It’s just never been something I’m wanting to do every at-bat.
“I do like having the freedom to use it, however.”
