In an era of nearly universal specialization for high school athletes, Waubonsie Valley’s Grace Riggs is definitely old school, but the sophomore second baseman is getting the job done.
Riggs, who’s very good defensively, is batting ninth for a second straight year on varsity. She doesn’t, however, play summer travel or fill winter weekends working out in the batting cage.
“I like having my free time and not having all that traveling,” said Riggs, who seems to realize it could come at a cost. “I started off bad this season, I think, because I don’t play outside of this.
“I hadn’t hit in a while before coming back.”
By Thursday, yet another bone-chilling, windy spring day in Aurora for the Warriors’ DuPage Valley Conference matchup at neighboring rival Metea Valley, that was hard to tell.
Riggs looked to be in midseason form, emerging as the star of the game at the plate and in the field during a remarkable 8-7 come-from-behind victory for Waubonsie Valley.
Ssenior pitcher Charlie Benesh was cruising with a 7-0 lead on a one-hitter through four innings for Metea Valley (2-8, 0-1), but Riggs produced singles in a three-run fifth and one-run sixth.
She then came up with the game-winning hit for the Warriors (4-2, 1-0) with a two-run, two-out single in the top of the seventh that capped off a four-run rally.
“I just knew I had to hit it,” Riggs said. “I like to open my shoulders, so I had to make sure to keep my shoulder in and hit it. I was just trying to get it in play.
“I guess I just got used to her pitching. I had been looking for change-ups, but she didn’t throw as many as last year, so I was just going up looking for strikes.”
It made a winner of senior right-hander Samantha Wiertelak, who pitched the final three innings and gave up no runs and no hits in relief of freshman starter Molly Quinn.
Sophomore outfielder Dezirae Kelly added a two-run double for Waubonsie. Benesh notched an RBI triple and senior catcher Sydney Eakin had a two-run double and three RBIs for Metea.
“She’s been working so hard with her hitting,” Waubonsie coach Valerie Wood said of Riggs. “I know that’s been a point of contention with her. She’s been working on her confidence, and (Thursday) kind of solidified that.
“I told her it was gonna come because at that point we had played only two games and everyone was struggling. We’ve worked a lot with the whole team on mentally just getting over things and stepping back. It showed — she had a heckuva game.”
Only three of Waubonsie’s runs were earned and just two of Metea’s runs were earned, although Riggs handled nine total chances without an error.
She did bobble one of two seventh-inning grounders but scooped it up in time to sophomore shortstop Aislee Morgan for a force-out. She also snared a line drive and stepped on second for an unassisted double play in the second inning.
“We talk a lot about finishing the play and that’s always our focus,” Wood said. “It transferred over (Thursday), and Grace didn’t give up on the bobbled ball and could have easily enough.
“She stuck with it and got the out. Grace and Aislee are best friends and work well together.”
The 5-foot-7 Riggs also plays volleyball and was an outside hitter last season for the school’s sophomore team. She doesn’t play club in volleyball, either.
Whether that continues for both sports remains to be seen.
“My mom’s always saying, ‘Other people play outside and you don’t and don’t get as much practice, so it’s good you’ve been doing as well as you are,” Riggs said.
