By Patrick McGavin-Photos by Jenn Anne Gledhill
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The worst possible outcome is getting caught looking at a third strike.
The batter stands there, somewhat paralyzed, wondering whether to swing, or let it go.
Sienna Till was a bit upset by the ball. She did not stay mad, She got even.
“After that happened on my first at bat, I just wanted to be aggressive on the first couple of pitches,” she said. “I saw my chance.”
Till blasted a two-run home run that ignited the Barrington Fillies’ 11-4 victory over Arlington Heights Thunder White in a 14U bracket game in the Seminole Sports Summer Sizzler at Olympic Park on Sunday, June 25
Till added another RBI single as the Fillies stormed back from an early 3-0 deficit.
“When I go up to bat, I like to take a deep breath, and just be loose and find out where the gaps are,” Till said. “I’m just looking to get the ball in there.”
During her decisive hit, she drilled a looping ball into right center that took a perverse hop and scooted past the Thunder White outfielders.
The gusting winds, up to 30 mph, played havoc with several balls.
That was evident in the top of the first inning with the second batter of the Thunder White. Audrie Corrado played a ball up in space that zoomed past the Fillies’ outfielder.
She raced around the bases for the opening run. Abby Kiepura followed with a two-run single that pushed the Thunder White lead to 3-0.
Barrington responded with three consecutive RBI hits during the bottom of the fiesta.
Auden Madej and Charlie Fleming bunched singles around the run scoring double by Ava Glosny. The hitting recovery also rejuvenated the play of Fleming, the Fillies’ starter.
After the rough opening, she dominated Thunder White with five strikeouts. She permitted just two hits over the final four innings.
“They started falling for my rise ball, and that was really starting to work well for me,” Fleming said. “They kept swinging and missing.”
The wind cut sideways into Fleming’s motion, blowing into left field.
“It’s tricky sometimes, and you have to adjust depending on where the wind is blowing,” she said. “If the wind goes the other way, the pitch definitely goes faster. It can be an advantage or not.”
Fleming found her stride in the top of the second inning by striking out the side.
As the Fillies’ bats took over, she continued her mastery. Arlington Heights only managed two balls out of the infield after the first inning.
“I was really effective after that first inning,” Fleming said. “I think of myself as a power pitcher because I go up against a lot of good hitters.
“I knew what to look for, and how to attack their hitters.”
Bob Alexander is the veteran coach who has been directing the Thunder White youth program for 17 years.
“Our focus is all about development and getting better,” Alexsander said. “We’re not here trying to collect trophies, or relive past glories. We’re trying to develop skills and prepare these girls. You saw that.”
Barrington softball is a state juggernaut, with 10 state trophies in the remarkable 31-year coaching history of Pete Peterson.
This year’s team finished fourth in Class 4A with a final record of 35-7.
Four freshmen played on that team.
Peterson is approaching 1,000 career victories, underscoring the range of the program’s accomplishments.
Former Fillies’ star Tori Meyer, now at DePaul, directs the youth program. Nine different batters collected at least one hit.
That depth and versatility for Thunder White to counter.
Maddy Van Ryn scored twice and drilled a double for the Fillies. She just completed her freshman season at the school.
“We have a really big freshman class, and you are always competing for a spot,” Van Ryn said. “Summer is a great time for developing those opportunities, and getting playing time.”
The program has a standard of excellence. The players work hard to match that.
“Honestly, I felt like today was not one of my best games,” Van Ryn said. “I probably put more pressure on myself that there actually is. I struck out during my last at bat, and even that affected my mentality. You always try to prove yourself out there. The wind was definitely a challenge today.”
Unlike other travel programs available to a range of communities and rival schools, the Barrington program is only open to players who reside in the district. That provides continuity and chemistry.
Up and down the lineup, the players responded, regardless of their order in the 12-hitter field.
Vivian Bernardi is the Fillies’ No. 10 hitter. She helped break the game open with a two-run single in the third inning.
Barrington took advantage of five Thunder walks during the frame.
“I was super nervous when I went up to the plate,” Bernardo said. “I was walking up there, and I didn’t remember how many outs, or how many strikes there were.
“You have to get used to the different ways the umpires call strikes. The ball came outside, and I just went with it to the right side.”
With standouts like Till entering the program and bolstering the depth and talent, Barrington is always going to be a program others are measured against.
Till will be a freshman at the school this fall.
“Travel is a little bit different because it’s fewer people and a smaller team,” she said. “You have the chance to create these bands, and get closer with the whole team rather than just certain people. I think it’s fun because you get all of these different experiences and you get to travel to all of these different tournaments.”