Still a pitcher, NIU recruit Aubriella Garza also catches on at third base for Oswego. ‘She’s such a great hitter.’

When asked about the start of her softball career, Oswego junior Aubriella Garza recalled how it wasn’t always smooth sailing. She went through her share of tough times and rough spots.

But that’s not the case now.

Garza, who pitches and also handles third base, set the program’s single-season record last spring with 54 hits. Then in the fall, she made a verbal commitment to play at Northern Illinois.

“I actually tried catching in the beginning,” Garza said, looking back. “I had a lot of arm strength, but I really struggled to keep the ball in front of me. Let’s just say I wasn’t crazy good.

“Moving to pitching, I quickly learned I needed to give my catchers more respect.”

Garza tried a number of sports and activities ranging from soccer to basketball to tennis as well as dance and karate before finding her niche with softball.

An off-the-charts work ethic has fueled Garza, who also credited the support of her mother and father, Gina and Nick.

Needing a second position to keep her potent bat in the lineup, Garza tried a couple spots in the infield before settling in at third base, which requires good reflexes to stay in front of the ball.

Much like a catcher blocking low pitches.

“At third base, you have to be quick,” Garza said. “I remember my dad taking me out to the field after practice or on days we didn’t practice and hitting me ground balls.”

Hoping to improve her fielding, dad didn’t take it easy on her, either.

“He hit the ball as hard as he could,” Garza said.

That work ethic became ingrained as she naturally moved into travel ball. For the past three seasons, Garza has played for the Wisconsin Lightning, based in Salem, west of Kenosha.

The miles added up as she makes the one hour and 45-minute trip from Oswego up to three times a week when she isn’t in her high school season.

“It gets a little tiring,” she said.

Throw in a weekly pitching lesson with St. Charles-based Jill Waldron and a hitting lesson with Westmont-based Jim Donovan, and Garza’s schedule is full.

“I try to schedule pitching and hitting lessons the same night,” she said. “And now, I can drive myself sometimes.”

The results have been a blessing for Oswego coach Paul Netzel, who has a strong group of returning players from last year’s team that went 23-12.

Seniors include outfielders Marissa Moffett (Illinois State) and Kaylee LaChappell (Missouri S&T) and infielder Maddie Hernandez (Wisconsin-Parkside). Junior catcher/third baseman Kiyah Chavez (Iowa) was limited last season by a thumb injury.

And joining Garza in the starting rotation is sophomore Jaelynn Anthony, who had a strong varsity debut last spring as a freshman.

“They give us a nice one-two punch in the circle,” Netzel said.

As a freshman, Garza set the program’s single-season record with 16 doubles while batting .429. She had seven homers and 37 RBIs last year. She’s on pace to break career records for hits and homers.

Last season in the circle, Garza went 13-4 with a 3.46 ERA, striking out 62 and walking 28 in 95 innings.

“She’s such a great hitter,” Netzel said. “And she still wants to pitch at the high school level.”

At the next level, Garza said her future will be at third base.

“When it comes to pitching, a lot of the girls in Division I are very, very tall,” she said. “And I’m not so tall. I’m 5-3. It’s why I had to get good at multiple things like fielding and hitting.

“Now, I’m primarily a third baseman. Pitching is secondary.”

Playing close to home and initial interest from NIU’s coaching staff helped sway Garza, who also received attention from Northwestern, Illinois State and Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

“It was pretty awesome, actually, to get an offer that early,” she said.