Last week, the Oak Park and River Forest High School varsity softball team enjoyed a highly successful spring break in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, winning all six contests and maintaining its perfect record.
On March 24, the Huskies blanked New Richmond, Ohio 10-0, then routed Dublin (Ohio) Coffman 17-6. The next day, OPRF shutout Westerville North (Ohio) 15-0 and defeated Kewaskum, Wisconsin 9-6.
The Huskies completed the sweep on March 26 with two more victories: 13-3 over Stow-Munroe Falls (Ohio), then 4-3 over Manchester (Ohio).
Unfortunately, the trip ended on a sour note for the Huskies as senior pitching ace Anna Topel suffered an injury against Manchester. According to OPRF coach JP Coughlin, Topel was hit by a pitch and will miss the next few weeks.
“Anna had successful surgery on Friday,” Coughlin said. “She’s hoping to be back by the end of the season. It’s kind of a bummer to a really good trip.”
“All of us were completely devastated when we heard Anna broke her wrist,” said OPRF shortstop Elyssa Hasapis. “We’re just trying to do anything we can.”
In the circle, Topel is 4-0 plus one save and has yet to allow an earned run. She has 22 strikeouts in 17.1 innings pitched. Topel also stars at the plate, hitting .733 with two homers and nine runs batted in.
Topel’s absence will undoubtedly hurt the Huskies. But Coughlin feels his team has the depth to overcome her injury.
“No one player is going to replace Anna,” he said. “We talk about depth, and it’s being put to the test. It’s a big challenge.”
OPRF (9-0) does have a potent lineup to cover the loss of Topel. The Huskies are batting .419 as a team and have hit 15 home runs. Hasapis has a .629 batting average; Julia Henderson .571; Gloria Hronek .516; and Maura Carmody .417. Henderson has driven in a team-high 14 runs, Carmody and Hasapis each have 12 RBIs, and Leia Hammerschmidt has 11 RBI.
“As good as we’ve started, I think we can do even better [offensively],” Coughlin said. “Our defense hasn’t been what it’s been the last couple of years, and we have to eliminate extra outs.”
In the circle, OPRF pitchers Molly Chambers (3-0, 6.86 earned run average), Gabriella Chesney, and Carolyn Rainey (2-0, 2.80) will need to elevate their games.
“Carolyn stepped up and pitched fantastic to finish out [Manchester],” Hasapis said. “We know all the rest of our pitchers can do the same when they’re asked to do it.”
Hasapis also likes the mindset OPRF has established early this season. She says the Huskies are focused on themselves, trying to improve each day, and that determination can help overcome unexpected obstacles that get in their path, like Topel’s injury.
“We’re really just locked in,” Hasapis said. “We believe that we can go really far, but we have to keep our mind in the present moment and not think too far into the future.
“We’re a really tight-knit group, and I think that helps on and off the field. The closer we can get throughout the season, the better we are as a team on the field.”
OPRF kicks off an eight-game homestand this week with games against Conant (April 2), Whitney Young (April 3), and St. Ignatius (April 4).
Fenwick/Trinity
Thanks to weather postponements and spring break, the Friars, coming off a third-place finish in Class 3A, the best in program history, have yet to play a game this season.
“Sadly, both of our games in March got moved due to weather,” Fenwick coach Valerie Jisa told Wednesday Journal via text message. “Hopefully not again this week. We’re super-antsy and eager to get on the field.”
Weather permitting, Fenwick hopes to start the season this week. The Friars visit Mother McAuley, April 3, and Morton, April 5, before hosting DePaul Prep, April 7.
Trinity (0-2) resumes its season, April 4, at Triton College versus Aurora Central Catholic. Abby Young leads the Blazers with a batting average of .600, with four others, Elizabeth Miehlich, D’Asya Collins, Aly Lopez, and Liv Trendel, hitting .500.