In the spring season of her senior year, well past the typical college recruitment period, catcher Paige Tonz was prepared to commit to South Carolina. But then Northwestern came knocking.
Coach Kate Drohan visited her hometown of Peoria, Ariz., hoping to see Tonz in game action. Even in one of the driest states, the weather refused to cooperate.
“The game got rained out, which is strange because I live in Arizona,” Tonz said. “It wasn’t really playable, but we had a small practice where she could see my skills.”
Her skills proved sufficient for an offer from Drohan, and given the sophomore’s impact on the NCAA Championships-bound Wildcats, the late pursuit seems like a wise decision.
Tonz rarely steps to the plate. In softball rules, the coaching staff can replace a fielder with a designated player in the batting order. With Tonz usually relegated to her position, she can focus on an often thankless task – getting the most out of a young pitching staff.
Pitcher Amy Letourneau endured several rough outings and control problems, but saved some of her finest performances for the end of the season. The freshman tossed a complete game against Illinois in the opener of a three-game sweep that gave the Cats postseason eligibility.
Letourneau noted the importance of establishing rapport with her catcher.
“It’s essential to get along with the catcher, especially with Paige, who calls the game,” she said. “You have to be on the same mindset.”
Sophomore Sammy Albanese, who also notched a victory during NU’s six-game win streak, agreed with the importance of communication.
“Paige and I have grown as a battery together,” she said. “She’s come to learn what I need as a pitcher. We work really well together.”
As Tonz settled in, pitching coach Courtnay Foster called games. After Tonz learned how to set up batters and appropriate pitch selection, the duties transferred to her. With greater responsibility, Tonz said she became more attentive on the field.
“I play better for myself when I’m calling games,” she said. “I’m into what’s going on.”
Tonz handled the pitching staff admirably near the end of conference play. With the Cats’ backs against the wall, they needed their pitching staff to perform.
In three wins at Big Ten bottom-dweller Michigan State, NU allowed just two runs. More impressively, against Illinois, the Cats maintained their composure. Despite falling behind in all three games, they never gave up more than three runs, which factored into the decisive sweep. Tonz attributed part of this improvement to the learning curve.
“As a catcher, you have to understand how they work,” she said. “You figure out when they need to do certain things, and when they need encouragement.”
With a tournament game looming Friday at No. 6 Texas (42-10), Tonz and the pitchers prepare to deal with a talented lineup. Led by versatile senior Lexy Bennett and power-hitting junior Taylor Hoagland, the team hit .335 in the regular season with 58 home runs. The Longhorns outscored their opponents 332-140 on the year.
In the double elimination format, NU (27-27) may also match up with Houston (34-22) or Auburn (33-21). One of the four teams will advance to the NCAA Super Regionals next week with a shot at making the Women’s College World Series at the end of May. Albanese said while Texas put together an impressive season, the Cats must stay confident.
“We can’t underestimate them, but we can’t give them too much credit,” she said. “We have to stick to our plan and our Northwestern game. Nobody can stop us, not even the sixth seed.”
