Evergreen Park freshman Molly Goyke is 100% comfortable being on the varsity softball team.
That was evident before her first state playoff game. Goyke was all smiles out in center field as she did some short toss to get loose. She looked like a kid having the time of her life.
“I have fun because I have a lot of talented teammates around me who support me,” Goyke said. “I couldn’t do it without knowing that they are behind me.”
She was also 100% sure from the first day she walked through the doors that she would make the team. The reason for that brought a much shorter answer.
“I had confidence in my ability,” Goyke said.
She brought out smiles and swings galore Tuesday afternoon for the host Mustangs in a 15-0 victory over Mansueto in a Class 3A Evergreen Park Regional semifinal game.
Goyke came through with a triple, a double and a single and also drove in five runs for Evergreen Park (17-14). Bella Torres added three hits, while Joie Burns had two. Grace Fontaine tallied two hits and pitched the win, retiring all 12 batters she faced while striking out 10.
This spring, Goyke has been one of the Southland’s most dominant freshmen for Evergreen Park, which will play Payton (14-16-2) at 4:30 p.m. Friday for the regional title.
Her three hits against Mansueto boosted an already robust .461 batting average. A left-handed slapper, she hits out of the No. 2 spot in the order. When they get on base, Goyke and senior leadoff Burns create chaos. Goyke also is 12-for-12 on stolen base attempts.
Goyke wasn’t the only one 100% sure about the varsity call up. Evergreen Park coach Michelle Vucsko was waiting for her.
“Actually, through camps and coming up through our feeder program in middle school, we’ve known Molly for a long time,” Vucsko said. “We’ve been excited to get her.
“We could see the potential. She has a good softball IQ. And in center field, she has a ton of range just going back on balls and covering a lot of ground. And in the box, she just has no fear.”
Among her big games were a two-hit effort against Shepard ace Kailey Selvage, a DePaul recruit and the conference’s player of the year, and a four-hit performance against Providence.
“Hitting varsity pitchers was a big adjustment,” Goyke said. “For travel, sometimes we don’t see the best pitching. But some of the girls here are going D-I.
“When I go up to the plate, I just tell myself that if it’s there, attack the first pitch. That’s probably the best pitch you’re going to get. You have to be ready.”
When Goyke got to Evergreen Park, Burns was one of the first to greet her.
“She was very welcoming,” Goyke said. “I would go to practice, and she’d be there with a smile on her face, ready to hit and have us work together in the outfield.”
The softball lessons?
“Oh, she didn’t need any help with that,” Burns said. “She was definitely more of a mentor to me than I was to her. There is a lot to learn from Molly Goyke.”
For instance, Burns made a gesture that drew a smile from the freshman.
“Oh yeah, the elbow,” Goyke explained. “When we would hit in the cages, I would have my elbow higher. I feel that it gets me to the ball quicker. Joie noticed that and learned from it.”
One other thing they share is a love for ice cream.
“Molly has a crazy addiction to it,” Burns said. “She gets ice cream all the time. I also have a crazy obsession for it, so we’re always sending pictures back and forth when we get ice cream.”
Tuesday, they celebrated together.
Tony Baranek is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
