Naperville Central senior catcher Riley Silvers arrived at the ballpark Monday and noticed a gusty wind was blowing straight out.
Did that boost her confidence?
“Yeah, it kind of does,” Silver said. “I just think, ‘Swing the bat hard, and something’s going to happen.’
“But I also know to stay level and not pop it up. I just stay level and swing hard.”
Something good often happens when Silvers does that, and the Florida International commit came through again — and again.
After flying out to the fence in her first two at-bats, Silvers belted lead-off home runs in the fifth and sixth innings as the visiting Redhawks scored seven unanswered runs to rally for an 8-3 DuPage Valley Conference victory over crosstown rival Naperville North.
“She hits the ball hard when she’s patient and gets her pitch,” Naperville Central coach Andy Nussbaum said. “She’s a special kind of player. I couldn’t tell you how glad I am she’s on our team.”
Naperville Central sophomore pitcher Avery Miller seconds that notion.
“I always have confidence in her in everything she does,” Miller said. “She’s just a stud all-around.
“When she’s up to bat, I have so much confidence in her to get the runs in. I’m always like, ‘You’ve got this.’”
Silvers had Miller’s back after Miller gave up a two-run homer to Naperville North junior pitcher Gabi Chmiel in the bottom of the fourth inning. That gave the Huskies a 3-1 lead. Silvers answered by blasting a Chmiel pitch over the fence in center field for her third home run of the season.
“I think that pitch was a fastball inside,” Silvers said. “I’m not really sure. But my mentality was swing hard and hope for the best.
“I saw that pitch didn’t have much spin on it, so I just drove it.”
After the Redhawks (4-5, 1-1) tied the game on Miller’s second sacrifice fly, the Huskies (1-10, 0-2) threatened to retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth when junior outfielder Sara Rossi led off with a single, stole second and went to third on a groundout.
That brought up sophomore third baseman Reese Pedersen, who laid down a squeeze bunt. Silvers alertly fielded the ball and threw out Rossi trying to get back to third base.
Miller did not allow another hit, finishing with a complete-game five-hitter.
“Riley’s two home runs were key, obviously, but the play on the suicide squeeze was just a great defensive play,” Nussbaum said. “She saved us a run there.”
Naturally, Silvers led off the sixth with a much anticipated at-bat. This time she walloped a home run to left to give the Redhawks the lead for good.
“She always hits bombs,” Miller said. “It’s funny because that at-bat, I was joking around with her. I was like, ‘You’re going to hit a home run.’ I just had a feeling, and then she actually did, and I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh.’ It was crazy.”
Senior first baseman Jamie Saran, a Northern Illinois commit, senior third baseman Shea Meech, a St. Ambrose commit, and junior shortstop Natalie Lau followed Silvers’ second homer with singles to make it 5-3, and Naperville Central tacked on three runs in the seventh.
“We didn’t play really great in the first four innings, but we respond to pressure, and that is maybe the first time all year that we did it when we had to,” Nussbaum said. “So I’m real pleased.
“I thought Avery Miller had her best outing of the year. Other than the one swing, Avery pitched great. She’s been struggling at the plate but got two sacrifice flies at key times that really helped us.”
Silvers, who missed her sophomore season after suffering a torn ACL in basketball, has been helping the Redhawks, batted .475 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs last year. But she already has four home runs and 16 RBIs through nine games.
“I’m hoping for at least 20 to 25 home runs,” Silver said. “I’m hoping to break more records than I did last season and lead my team off with a good inspiration message. My teammates are my everything. I love them so much.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
