Softball: Leah Karel, Batavia bats break out against Hoffman Estates

BATAVIA – Batavia's coaching staff evidently has so much confidence in sophomore catcher Leah Karel that they let her call her own game behind the plate.

Not all high school programs give the pitcher-catcher connection the reins outside of the dugout, but Karel and pitcher Betsy Thayer know how one another ticks.

"I'm more involved in the game and that makes me more confident," Karel said following Batavia's 12-1 triumph over Hoffman Estates in five innings on Friday. "Because I know what calls are working and what calls are not."

The Bulldogs (4-3) overcame an early one-run deficit with a monster bottom half of the first inning. Batavia ripped off 11 runs on 12 hits to break the game wide open. Karel contributed four runs batted in on a pair of two-run singles in the inning that nearly batted around the order twice.

Batavia as a team combined for 14 hits. Thayer from there did her job in the circle, inducing a number of groundouts by virtue of the solid defense behind her.

"[Karel] is doing a good job calling the game," Batavia coach Torry Pryor said. "I have the confidence either one of my catchers [like Hanna Mackowiak] can call the game and they'll do a great job with that."

Thayer and Karel have strong familiarity with one another from their respective seasons on junior varsity last season. In most cases, they're on the same page.

"[Karel] just knows what to call and how I'm feeling," Thayer said following her complete game effort. Thayer surrendered just one run on four hits and struck out four.

During Friday's game, Thayer's changeup was apparently hitting the sweet spot.

"I could tell that her changeup was on [point] today," Karel said. "We started throwing that a lot more than other games."

"I kind of give her pointers," Thayer continued. When I shake her off, [I tell her] what I want...we just get to know each other better."

Thayer features a fastball, changeup and a screwball. She spent the winter developing a curveball to add to her repertoire.

"I had a little bit of [a curveball] last summer, but it's gotten better," Thayer said. "I changed my spin and I changed the way I throw it. I focus a lot more on emphasizing in my snap and it's just gotten a lot better."

As the score exploded in Batavia's favor, it provides a nice comfort level for Thayer to relax and have a bit more fun in the circle.

"A lot of times, I wouldn't say I'm all business," Thayer said. "But, I'm a lot more focused. When we're up, I'm still wanting to do my best, but at the same time, I know I can try new things and [have more freedom]."

Despite the difficult beginning to the game, Hoffman Estates (0-7) did not quit. Kaelyn Kramp and Brianna Venegas had consecutive singles in the fifth inning to put some runners in scoring position, but Thayer shut down the possible rally with a game-ending groundout.

"After that tough bottom half [of the inning], they competed through [to the end]," Hoffman Estates coach Kevin Mallon said. "I'm proud of how they fought back...these guys are tough kids. They're learning how to compete at a higher level and an opportunity like this it showed they can come back from some adversity."