Libertyville junior Taylor Higham has officially turned into a do-it-all player.
In her third varsity season, Higham is the Wildcats’ ace and leading hitter. When she isn’t pitching, she plays in the outfield, where she can shine too.
“Her pitching is driving us,” Libertyville coach Dar Townsend said. “She’s made some great catches in the outfield; she’s fast and runs the ball down. She does everything for us.”
In the circle, Higham is 9-3 with a 1.90 ERA, 132 strikeouts and just 34 walks for the Wildcats (18-8, 8-4), who have climbed to third place in the tough North Suburban Conference.
She has plenty of tools to get the job done, throwing a fastball, a screwball, a curveball, a change-up and a rise ball.
“That gives us the ability to keep hitters off balance, especially as we get deeper in each game,” Libertyville junior catcher Maddy Kleemann said. “She does a great job staying focused on each pitch, no matter the situation.”
Higham pitched an eight-inning masterpiece in Libertyville’s 2-1 conference loss to Warren on April 28. She also went seven-plus innings in relief in the Wildcats’ 6-5 conference win in 10 innings against Mundelein on May 7, allowing just one run and striking out 10.
“Taylor’s a competitor,” Kleemann said. “She doesn’t get too up or down, and that helps our defense stay focused throughout the game.”
Higham has been pitching inside more and throwing more change-ups and rise balls than she did in her first two seasons. With those adjustments, she has become more efficient.
“She has a really good strikeout-to-walk ratio this year,” Townsend said. “She commands the zone much better than last year. Her location is much better.
“She’s constantly improving year in and year out. She’s such a competitor, a very tough kid, and she expects a lot out of herself. She uses that grind and grit mentality when she plays.”
Higham, who said her pregame routine includes eating a banana even though “I don’t like bananas,” noted that pitching appeals to her personality.
“I like to be able to be in control of the game,” she said. “It’s really unique to be a pitcher because you always have the ball. I love to be part of every single play.”
Higham calls her production at the plate “an added bonus,” noting she focuses more on pitching during the travel season. For Libertyville, that’s quite a bonus. She’s batting .415 with a 1.037 OPS.
“Hitting is really fun,” Higham said. “I think I’m more focused this year on realizing what pitches I hit well, like the inside pitch. I’ve been looking for that pitch more and attacking the pitch.”
Libertyville senior utility player Zoe Kinsella agreed that Higham’s contributions take many forms.
“Taylor is always putting forth her best effort,” Kinsella said. “Her skill sets her apart and has from day one. She shuts down opponents every time she steps into the circle and is one of the best competitors and producers at the plate.
“Taylor also brings great energy and passion and never fails to pick up her teammates. She makes us want to show up.”
The Wildcats do more than that. They could finish with their best winning percentage since 2019.
So Higham, who is a member of the National Honor Society, is looking forward to the postseason. Fourth-seeded Libertyville will play 13th-seeded Buffalo Grove in the Class 4A Buffalo Grove Regional semifinals on May 27.
“We can go really far,” she said. “We have a really good roster, and everyone has something to contribute on and off the field.”
That begins with Higham.
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
