Growing up on the travel softball circuit, Providence’s Abby Johnson always played shortstop.
That was her primary position.
So imagine her surprise as a freshman for the Celtics when she was put in right field, a position she had never played before. And she vividly remembered her first varsity game.
“We played Romeoville, and it was rainy and super cold,” Johnson recalled. “I was so nervous, I was shaking at the plate. I was a freshman playing with girls that were older than me.
“I got a hit. I held my own. I did fine.”
Johnson, a Loyola commit, has done plenty since she shifting back to shortstop as a sophomore. Now as a senior, she’s having a “remarkable year” at that position, according to coach Jim Holba.
“She anticipates extremely well,” Holba said. “She’s comfortable calling bunt defenses. She has soft hands when she gets ground balls and a quick release. She can get up the middle and dive with her backhand.”
Not only does Johnson love playing shortstop for GCAC Red leader Providence (16-6, 9-3), she has an affinity for talking about it, too. What does it take to play the position effectively?
Let her count the ways.
“Important things are learning how to read the hops, keeping your feet moving, and you want to keep movement flowing throughout your throw,” she said. “There’s also taking certain angles on ground balls.”
Senior second baseman Sophia Thormeyer, her double-play counterpart, said success between the duo has been enhanced due to a strong focus on communication.
“We’re always talking,” Thormeyer said. “And from that connection, we’ve grown that bond in the middle. We’re a great battery to work together.”
Johnson can hit, too. Holba said when she’s on a roll, she can hit for both power and average. An astute bunter, she’s also responsible for upwards of 15 stolen bases a season.
Life is full of coincidences, and Johnson’s is unique. The last Division I shortstop the Celtics had was Teagan Sopczak, who graduated the year before Johnson started high school.
Sopczak went on to play at Loyola, and Johnson ended up replacing her at Providence. In turn, Sopczak will graduate shortly from Loyola and Johnson will take her roster spot.
Funny how life works sometimes. The two know each other through friends, and Sopczak even played the role of counselor to a certain degree during Johnson’s recruiting process.
“I’d see her at camps at Loyola and we’d talk about what was going on in high school,” Johnson said. “I could come to her if I had questions about Loyola. She talked about great the girls were, and I saw that when I met them all.”
The recruiting process was a bundle of emotions. It all depended on the day, it seemed.
“In the beginning, I was super excited to hear from coaches and go to camps,” she said. “But as time progressed, I came close to making a decision and I would not hear from coaches, and it was discouraging.”
Here’s another coincidence. While Johnson will be suiting up for Loyola, Thormeyer will be doing the same for UMass. Both teams play in the Atlantic 10.
It’s going to be something else to play against a close high school teammate in college.
“It’s going to be really weird but exciting,” Thormeyer said. “I can’t wait to see how far we grow and better athletes we become.”
That said, Thormeyer knows the type of player the Ramblers will have in Johnson.
“Loyola is getting a very dedicated, enthusiastic and prepared athlete,” Thormeyer said. “She’s going to be a great addition to their team.”
Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
