No time will be needed for Oak Park-River Forest senior right-hander Leah Bry to become comfortable with her catcher.
Bry (16-5, 1.34 ERA in 2009) and OPRF senior catcher Lauren Flannery have spent many summers as batterymates with the Oak Park Windmills.
The Huskies (27-8, 11-1 last year) had an abundance of catchers on the roster last season. OPRF coach Mel Kolbusz was determined to find a spot for Flannery in the lineup, and did so by moving her to left field.
Flannery (.356, 30 RBIs in ‘09) will play next season for Winona State (Minn.).
“They had all summer to become familiar with each other,” Kolbusz said. “I think they’ve been playing together since they were 12 years old.”
Flannery and Bry both earned all-West Suburban Conference Silver Division honors last year.
“Lauren is a tremendous leader who has the ability to make everyone around her better,” said Winona State coach Greg Jones after Flannery signed last November. “She is a very accomplished defensive catcher and hitter who has played at the highest level with both her high school and summer programs.”
Bry, who signed with Butler University, pitched 130 1/3 innings a year ago, striking out 171 and walking only 11.
Those two will be the veterans this season, as the Huskies graduated 10 players from last year’s squad.
“We’re a little young, a little inexperienced,” Kolbusz said. “Leah will have to carry us for a while.”
Kolbusz said it may take a few games before he starts writing out a starting lineup in ink.
“I’ll have a lineup for the first game, but I’m not sure it will be the right lineup,” Kolbusz said. “It’s one thing to look good in the gym and another to look good in a game. I’ll play the best nine batters and the nine best fielders. Nothing will be etched in stone right away.”
The Huskies’ other NCAA Division I recruit is senior Marisa Belpedio, who signed with Western Michigan.
Belpedio (.295, 11 RBIs in ‘09), who was the DH most of last season, could fill a vacancy at first base. She had an excellent summer season with the Illinois Bandits, hitting .327 with a .561 slugging percentage. She had two home runs, five doubles, six triples and 17 RBIs.
Seniors Hannah Press (.244, 8 RBIs), Kristin Wirtz (.294) and Micheline Figel (.375) saw limited playing time last spring.
Wirtz will play field hockey next season at Northwestern University.
The Huskies have a talented nucleus of juniors in Ann Ryan (infield), Alana Weitzenfeld (infield), Emily Bacalao (outfield), Erin Flanagan (infield), Becky Barron (catcher), Anna Munz (first base), Kelly O’Meara (catcher/outfield), Jasmine Davis (outfield), Julie Paoli (first base) and Kylee Nilsson (pitcher). The entire roster hit well during the preseason.
Kolbusz, however, wants to see the hits in games before declaring the Huskies an offensive machine.
“They hit very well in the batting cage when the ball is right down the middle,” Kolbusz said. “Let’s see how they look against an opponent.”
Kolbusz said expectations for the Huskies — outside of the program — are not high going into the season. Preseason rankings by the Illinois Coaches Association left the Huskies out of the top 25.
“It’s fine to be under the radar,” Kolbusz said. “I won’t lose any sleep over it.”
The Huskies have won the WSC Silver Division title every year since 2005. Glenbard West will likely be the major obstacle in the path of another title this spring.
