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Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
‘Better and better': Oswego's Jaelynn Anthony is the 2025 Beacon-News/Courier-News Softball Player of the Year.
Junior pitcher Jaelynn Anthony has come a long way and so has Oswego in softball, with players getting measured this week for state championship rings. It's no coincidence. The first time coach Paul Netzel saw Anthony three years ago at tryouts, he thought he had found a pretty good varsity candidate in the freshman right-hander. What he didn't see right away, however, was the complete player the outgoing youngster with the strong arm and ever-present smile would become. 'We were split on whether to bring her up,' Netzel said of his coaching staff. 'We knew we needed another pitcher we could use in the rotation to back up (sophomore) Aubriella Garza.' Netzel, a retired teacher who had coached a number of sports at various levels in high schools and colleges since 1967, felt confident Anthony could handle that role and made the call. Anthony also played in the infield. 'Then, all of a sudden, she started hitting,' Netzel said. 'I remember a home run at Geneva, a real blast, and all the kids were doing that 'she's a freshman' chant in the dugout. 'We were amazed as anyone about her hitting.' Indeed, her .483 batting average this season pushed her career mark to .409. Still, the Panthers primarily relied on stellar work in the circle by the Purdue-bound Anthony — the 2025 Beacon-News/Courier-News Softball Player of the Year — to win the Class 4A state title. Anthony set the program record for wins in a season, going 22-1 with a 1.55 ERA and 193 strikeouts in 139 2/3 innings as Oswego (38-2) won its first state title after taking third last spring. Unfinished business has been completed, led by Anthony in the team's 7-0 run to the title. 'She just keeps getting better and better,' said Annie Scaramuzzi, an Oswego alum who came aboard last season as pitching coach and then became the program's co-coach with Netzel. 'Jaelynn plays better in big games.' None were bigger than Oswego's seven postseason games. Anthony pitched all 48 innings and gave up just 23 hits and 16 walks for an excellent .812 WHIP, which is walks and hits per inning. She struck out 70 and allowed just five runs for a 0.70 ERA. She relied on a fastball that one radar gun had her topping out at a personal-best 72 mph in the state championship game against Barrington, along with a change-up, curve and rise. 'Last year she was dominant — this year even more so,' Scaramuzzi said 'This year, she really gained confidence after having done it last year. She wanted to go out and have fun.' Anthony, who also holds the program's career record for wins with 47, was especially impressive in three wins during the final week. It started Monday when she carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of a 5-1 win over Marist, finishing with a one-hitter. She followed with a 13-2 rout in six innings over Oak Park-River Forest in Friday's semifinal and a four-hitter in a 4-1 win over Barrington in Saturday's final, both complete games. Anthony, who had two doubles and three RBIs in the semifinals, knows it's not just her, though. 'Jaelynn's quick to acknowledge she has a great offense backing her up along with a standout defense doing the same,' Scaramuzzi said. 'That stage in Peoria, there's a lot of pressure. 'It's why we emphasized so much work on our middle infield defense this season.' Anthony has taken pitching lessons from St. Charles-based Jill Waldron since she was 12. 'She's always positive and has a strong work ethic,' Waldron said. 'She's never not focused but always giddy. She laughs at her mistakes but instantly flips a switch and goes to work to fix them.' And here's a scary proposition for opponents. Anthony believes there's room for improvement. 'I've been trying to learn a drop ball and a drop curve,' she said. Even though Oswego has to replace six seniors from 10 starters, including the designated player, Anthony likes the Panthers' chances again. 'We will be back,' she said. 'It will definitely be tough, but we're gonna come back and win.'
Chicago Tribune
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Six Oswego seniors start out in softball as Outlaws. They end up as Class 4A state champions. ‘Just so grateful.'
PEORIA — Six Oswego seniors started out as Outlaws. They ended up as state champions. Third baseman Aubriella Garza, catcher Kiya Chavez, first baseman Rikka Ludvigson, outfielders Natalie Muellner and Rhiana Martinez and infielder Abby Schwab began playing travel together. It was an 8-and-under team that would eventually reunite for the Panthers. 'My father was coaching us and we were with the Oswego Outlaws program,' said Garza, the Northern Illinois recruit. 'We've been connected the past few years in high school. It's definitely been a connected community when it comes to softball. 'If you had asked me freshman year if we were even gonna make it to state, I would have said, 'No.' But this is definitely one of the best groups to come through Oswego softball, and I'm just so grateful to be a part of it.' Those seniors not only made it back to the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex after taking third last season, they beat Barrington 4-1 on Saturday in the Class 4A state championship game. Garza kicked things off for Oswego (38-2) by hitting a two-out home run in the third inning. It staked Purdue-bound junior pitcher Jaelynn Anthony (22-1) to a 1-0 lead on the Fillies (35-4-1). It was Garza's team-leading 14th homer of the season. 'We've pushed hard this year, challenging ourselves more, and one of my struggles early in the season was sequencing,' Garza said. 'If the pitcher would throw a sequence, I wouldn't pick up on it soon enough. 'Well, (Saturday), I was sitting change-up all day long. I just knew it was coming and it did.' And then it was going. Garza followed that up with a double that one-hopped the right-center fence and a single, boosting her program career record for total hits to 188. 'The home run was huge,' Oswego co-coach Annie Scaramuzzi said. 'I knew as soon as she hit it that we were gonna be in a good spot. 'It's a storybook ending for an incredible career and an incredible kid. I'm just super proud of her and the career she had.' Scaramuzzi, an Oswego graduate who went on to have a successful career as a pitcher at Missouri-St. Louis, also started in travel sofball with the same program. 'I was an Outlaw growing up,' Scaramuzzi said. 'I started with them — a lot of people in Oswego do. This is definitely a full-circle moment. It's the coolest thing to have our community behind us.' Five errors by Barrington helped the Panthers add one run in the fourth on a groundout by junior outfielder Savannah Page and two more in the fifth. Pitching a complete game for the second straight day, Anthony cruised along by striking out eight and walking just one. 'I'm exhausted, but I wasn't going to stop until we made it and I'm glad we made it,' said Anthony, who had been tied with Garza for the team lead in homers. 'She can have it. I've got next year.' Nicholas Garza stressed the basics to his young players, according to Martinez, who's headed to Rock Valley's strong program in the fall. 'We learned how to throw, field the ball and to hit,' Martinez said. 'All those little drills that we did, that we still do today, actually. There's a lot of that incorporated, thanks to coach Nick. 'It's kind of sad we're growing apart now because of college, but playing this last year with all the girls is just incredible. They're all amazing players. The ones moving on to play in college have a lot to look forward to.' Oswego will also lose seniors Maddie Lohrman, Bella Lisle, Sabrina Zamora and Mya Alonzo to graduation. Chavez, an Iowa recruit, pointed out that she pitched as well for the Outlaws. And she was thrilled about Aubriella Garza's back-to-back performances at state. 'She's really hard on herself,' Chavez said. 'I'm glad she was able to have the rest of our backs that end of the postseason here. She's a worker. She's gonna do great things at NIU.'
Chicago Tribune
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
All business as Purdue recruit Jaelynn Anthony opens playoffs with 17 strikeouts for Oswego. ‘I'm here to compete.'
Oswego's Jaelynn Anthony timed her varsity breakout last season just about perfectly. Anthony helped the Panthers make an historic run to taking third place in the state. But now, with the postseason beginning anew, the Purdue-bound junior pitcher is an established commodity. It's a big difference. 'Everybody knows I'm a good pitcher, so they're here to beat me and it's not going to happen,' Anthony said. 'I do what I need to do. I'm here to compete and they know I'm here to compete.' As far as competition goes, Anthony delivered a dominant performance Tuesday as top-seeded Oswego cruised to an 8-0 win over Metea Valley in a Class 4A Oswego East Regional semifinal. Anthony was brilliant, striking out 17 and walking one in a three-hit gem for Oswego (32-2). She also hit a two-run homer, tying her with Aubriella Garza for the team lead with 13. Adalynn Fugitt added two hits and two steals and scored twice for the Panthers, who extended their program record for wins and will play for a second straight regional title at 4:30 p.m. Friday. Garza and Sabrina Zamora each tallied two hits and drove in a run for the Panthers, while Zamora scored twice. Sydney Eakin, Maielle Ernser and Elena Gonzalez had hits for Metea (8-21). Iowa recruit Kiyah Chavez, Anthony's catcher and one of her best friends, has seen the subtle ways that Anthony has improved and taken steps forward this season. And they're not all related to her electric stuff. 'I think she just feels more confident, more comfortable,' Chavez said. 'There are so many things I could say about Jaelynn. She's obviously a fantastic pitcher and we're very lucky to have her. 'The strongest part of her development is definitely getting more comfortable with who she is and what role she plays. I think before she was a solid pitcher but she wasn't sure where she fit in with leadership roles, that kind of stuff.' Oswego co-coach Annie Scaramuzzi echoed those sentiments, acknowledging that Anthony has made the jump from breakout pitcher last spring to savvy veteran this season. 'She just has the confidence this year to attack those hitters, which I think has been the difference-maker with her this year,' Scaramuzzi said. Anthony puts fear into opponents with her bat, too. The Panthers were up only 1-0 after a sluggish start when Anthony came to the plate in the bottom of the third with one out and Garza on second. 'I was expecting a change-up,' Anthony said. 'All of our good hitters got first pitch change-ups. I'm not going to swing at a first pitch change-up. 'I saw an inside pitch and it was the best pitch I was going to get, so I took advantage of it and hit it hard.' Anthony took care of the rest in the circle, striking out the side in the seventh to put the finishing touches on her win. A year ago, Scaramuzzi would have been happy with advancing. After finishing third in the state and returning a ton of talent, though, the mindset has shifted. 'Last year, every win after we had our first win in the postseason was a surprise,' Scaramuzzi said. 'We didn't really have any expectations. This year, we said from the beginning the biggest challenge is managing expectations because we know we're that good.' Anthony, meanwhile, has been embracing that challenge. 'We just know we're capable of getting there and we're not playing down to any team,' Anthony said. 'We're here to win and to make a state run again. We're excited. It makes it way better. 'They're trying to beat us and we're like, no, that's not going to happen.'
