Six members of Waubonsee Community College's Softball team were recognized for their outstanding performances this past Spring on the diamond. Morgan Smardo highlighted the Chiefs' honorees by being named a Second Team All-American by the Louisville, Kentucky based National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), which is voted on by coaches from each region of the country. The freshman was also named to the NFCA All-Midwest First Team, NJCAA All-Region 4 First Team and to the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) First Team. Record-setting sophomore Emily Hurst joined her as an All-Region 4 First Team and All-ISCC First Team selection. Freshman Alyssa Perkins was also named to the All-ISCC First Team, while Katie Baker and AnnaMarie Vivirito were each chosen All-ISCC Second Team, and Valerie Osthoff was tabbed All-ISCC Honorable Mention.
Smardo, an outfielder and pitcher from Rochelle High School, finished the spring with a robust .503 batting average and a team-leading 17 doubles. The Chiefs' lead-off hitter also led the team in hits with 74 and runs scored with 61, while drilling six home runs. In addition, Smardo stole 19 bases, compiled 111 total bases, posted a .529 on-base percentage and had a .755 slugging percentage. A right-handed hurler, Smardo also won seven games in the circle while tossing nine complete games in 14 appearances for Waubonsee.
A Rosary High School graduate, Hurst rewrote the Chiefs' softball record book over the last two seasons, ending her Waubonsee career with a dozen single-season records and 10 career marks. The shortstop also set a school record with 14 consecutive hits last season, finished tied in career hits and was second in five other categories of the Chiefs' record book. Despite suffering a knee injury that required surgery in the fall, Hurst ended this spring with a .504 batting average, a dozen home runs and 53 runs knocked in. The right-hander hitter drew 21 walks on the way to finishing with a .573 on-base percentage. Hurst also struck out only seven times, tallied 106 total bases and posted a lofty .906 slugging percentage on the season.
Perkins, an Aurora West High School graduate, batted .420 on the season with 10 home runs and a team-leading 57 runs batted in, compiling a .756 slugging percentage. The right-hander also won three games in the pitcher's circle, including a 3-hit complete game shutout at Black Hawk College in late April, on the way to tossing 52 and two-thirds innings overall on the season. Perkins was chosen the NJCAA Division II Player of the Week for the third week of April after batting .500 over 10 games with five homers and 23 runs batted in.
Just as she did last season, Baker batted an identical .365 as primarily the Chiefs' number two hitter in their lineup. The sophomore second baseman from Serena High School smacked 12 doubles and drove in 28 runs. The right-handed batter had 50 hits, scored 41 runs and booked a .405 on-base percentage. A freshman from St. Charles North High School, Vivirito batted .385 with nine doubles and 20 runs knocked in. The right-hander hitter posted a .538 slugging percentage and a .406 on-base percentage over 30 games played. Vivirito also made just one error in 74 chances en route to booking a .986 fielding percentage. Osthoff, a sophomore from De Soto, Wisconsin, blasted six home runs and drove in 27 runs on the spring on the way to tallying an even .500 slugging percentage. The third baseman also made several stellar plays at the proverbial hot corner throughout the spring season.
The Chiefs went 22-20 overall on the season, finishing second in the ISCC and bowing out of the Region 4 Tournament in the second round. Having retired upon completion of the season, Coach Joe Spitzzeri's final team set a Waubonsee single-season record with 41 home runs. Among all NJCAA Division II teams, the Chiefs were in the Top-50 in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, batting average, home runs, doubles and runs scored. Waubonsee finished with a .358 team batting average and .546 slugging percentage. They averaged 10 hits a game on the way to ripping 92 extra base hits and 642 total bases.
