Considering the impact that Samara Agredano has had on the De La Salle softball program, it seemed only fitting that the senior shortstop launch a home run in her final at-bat as a Meteor.
While the host Meteors fell to Lemont 4-1 in a Class 3A sectional final on May 29, Agredano’s round-tripper to open the seventh inning provided her and her teammates with one more memory.
Agredano, a four-year starter for the Meteors, will play at Northern Kentucky next season.
“I knew it was probably going to be my last at-bat and I knew that I couldn’t go out like I did, striking out my last two (at-bats before the home run),” she said. “When I felt that hit and that happened, when I was rounding first, I almost started crying.
“I was happy not just for me, but for my team because that could have started off a rally for us. I was so happy when I was coming home, knowing that my team was there cheering me on. I was so happy running the bases. It felt unreal and it felt unbelievable.”
De La Salle finished 27-10.
“We had one historic season,” Meteors coach Frankie Castagna said. “Last year was historic for getting 25 wins and this year, not only did we get to 27 wins, which is historic and broke a record, but also the first time getting to a sectional championship game.”
“This was the team that could do that from day one and they did it.”
“This team had a great chemistry from the start,” De La Salle junior catcher Mya Alvarez said. “After our first practice and tryouts, you could just tell right away with everybody’s energy and everybody’s chemistry that it was going to be an awesome season and it sure was.
“Playing softball at De La Salle means a lot to me. We’ve had so many ups and downs since my freshman season. Being a junior now and having this great group leave us, we had a very rough freshman year. But from there until now is a complete difference. We’re going to have to come back stronger next year.
“I’m going to remember my teammates from this year, definitely. We had an awesome group of seniors this year and them leaving means it’s going to be hard for us next year.”
Chicago Christian eliminated
Chicago Christian fell 7-0 to host IC Catholic in a Class 2A sectional final on May 30. The Knights finished 16-9 under coach Kevin Pittman, who stepped down after winning 213 games, six regionals and one sectional in 14 seasons.