Grant’s Bri Lopez has been around long enough for opponents to think they know what she can do.
But the senior right fielder has changed her approach at the plate in her fourth season as a starter for the Bulldogs. Coach Chris Van Alstine said Lopez is taking advantage of her strength, and he jokingly called her “Quadzilla.”
“Bri is doing things different this year,” Van Alstine said. “She picked a lane. She was a slap hitter, but she invested her time and became a solid power hitter. She’s not slapping anymore.
“Her swing is so powerful, compact and quick. She does a great job driving the inside ball. She’s a strong athlete in a small frame.”
Lopez, a Wisconsin-Oshkosh commit, is one reason the Bulldogs (14-8-1, 5-2) have already topped their 12-win total from last season and are in second place in the Northern Lake County Conference. She’s batting a robust .452 with a 1.191 OPS, six doubles, a triple, three homers and 20 RBIs.
“I would say this has been one of my best years offensively,” Lopez said. “A lot of that is from the confidence that I built within myself. I put in a lot of hard work in the offseason during my spare time, going to the cages with my dad and hitting a lot.”
Lopez, who hit a double and scored three runs during Grant’s 17-2 conference win over Round Lake on Thursday, stands out in right field too.
“I remember seeing Bri play in fifth or sixth grade, so it’s funny how time goes by so fast,” Van Alstine said. “She’s playing her best softball right now. She’s played great the last three years, but she’s really hitting the ball well and plays great in the outfield.
“She gets to the foul line so fast, makes so many plays in foul territory because of her speed and quickness. She’s a complete player.”
Grant senior third baseman Taylor Glover said Lopez plays with the right mindset.
“She is a good player because she gives her best, even when she’s not feeling her best, and is always humble about how she plays,” Glover said.
Just as important, Lopez is also a good teammate, according to Grant junior pitcher Haley Lloyd.
“Bri is always cheering us on and always has our back,” Lloyd said. “She’s very dedicated to the team.”
Lopez said her teammates are very important to her.
“Softball gave me a second family, a sisterhood, and brought me so many of my friends,” she said. “I don’t think I would be the person I am today without it. I’ve made so many connections. It helped mold my personality.”
Lopez said her two brothers have made a difference too. Her older brother, Michael, is a former Grant student-athlete, and her 10-year-old brother, Jacob, helps her stay positive.
“Jacob has taught me to never take life too seriously,” Lopez said. “He’s always cheering me on, even after a bad game, and he’s always having fun during the game. He’s my biggest cheerleader. He’s always the first one to run up to me and give me a hug and say he’s proud of me.”
Lopez, who said she has a 4.6 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society, likes to encourage other people too. She does volunteer work, including for Feed My Starving Children.
“I like meeting new people, building connections and lending a helping hand for those in need,” Lopez said. “I love putting a smile on someone’s face.”
Working together has benefited the Bulldogs, too, according to Lopez.
“All of us are contributing in our own different way to help the team win,” she said. “I think we have the potential to go far if we put all three aspects of the game together.”
“Quadzilla” is doing her part.
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
