It was only the beginning, but more than enough.
Oswego Marissa Moffett felt back where she belonged Monday, stepping into the batter’s box to lead off the bottom of the first inning of a Southwest Prairie West game against visiting Yorkville.
The senior second baseman and her teammates had never beaten the Foxes on the varsity level but that was about to change.
“I’ve been all over the place in the lineup,” said Moffett, an Illinois State recruit equally adept at playing the outfield. “I started second, then I was ninth, back at second, and now I’m first.
“They put me wherever, but I just adjust. Wherever they need me, I’ll be there and do my best.”
Boomshakalaka.
Moffett promptly lined a double to the fence that sliced through the left-center gap.
Three juniors followed. First baseman Rikka Ludvigson sent a drive to deep center that was misplayed for two bases, scoring Moffett. Catcher Kiyah Chavez drew a walk and third baseman Aubriella Garza hit a home run over the fence on the same path that Moffett’s drive took.
Peyton Levine was summoned to put out the fire in an eventual 4-1 victory for the Panthers.
Levine finished strong for the Foxes (8-7, 1-2). The junior right-hander worked a scoreless six innings, strikeout out two and scattering four hits and a hit batter.
Sophomore pitcher Jaelynn Anthony (2-0) went the distance for Oswego (8-5, 2-1). She gave up seven hits, struck out seven and walked none.
“I just went at them,” Anthony said. “Chucked in my spins and went at them and didn’t let up.
“We hadn’t beaten them because Madi Reeves, obviously the best pitcher in the area, was over there the last three years. This was our chance to win.”
Garza’s home run is the 17th of her career, a program record that she will continue to add to, although Anthony only trails her by three and is a year behind her in school.
Garza, who also holds the program records for hits and doubles, was showered with confetti after the game by her teammates.
“It’s pretty special,” Anthony said of Garza. “I’m glad we’ve got her to hype up this team and hit the home runs and doubles we need to win.”
The win snapped a two-game slide for the Panthers, following a 10-6 loss to West Aurora and 8-7 setback to two-time defending Class 3A state champion Lemont the previous week.
“Those losses were kind of hard for us, but we came back hard,” Moffett said. “It was a good game (against Lemont). They just outscored us, honestly.
“When Jaelynn is fired up like that, she will continue to stay fired up. Jaelynn? She’s Jaelynn.”
And Moffett, a four-year varsity player, is Moffett.
Since eighth grade, she has attended camps at Illinois State, her parents’ alma mater.
She followed her double Monday with a single, going 2-for-3 to lift her average to .257.
Moffett started at second base as a freshman before moving to the outfield. She has played both in travel ball, currently with the Dennison SilverHawks 18U coached by Lauren McNulty.
“I was leadoff last year and prefer first or second,” Moffett said.
Oswego coach Paul Netzel said Moffett hit a run of bad luck earlier this season.
“She was hitting the ball right at them,” he said. “I had her at the front of the order and decided to slide her back, take the pressure off. She started hitting like crazy, and it’s been fine.
“She’s like 16 runs away from that career record. She’s just such a consistent player, real savvy on the bases. She does the right thing and is such a good player. Illinois State is gonna have a gem. It’s gonna be fun to watch her play and make things happen on the D-I level.”
