How Carlinville softball has ascended among the area’s best in 2A

CARLINVILLE — Hannah Gibson stars in different sports endeavors throughout the school year.

That not only includes track and field but also softball over the spring.

Only a couple of scheduling conflicts may occur, Gibson said, but track ultimately carries the most weight.

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That led Gibson to miss last year’s Class 2A softball regional final in favor of the girls track and field state finals in Charleston.

She claimed fourth place in the discus throw in Class 1A with a heave of 37.56 meters (123 feet, 2 ¾ inches) — and all-South Central Conference first team honors as a pitcher to boot.

“Track is what I want to pursue, so it’s worth it in the end,” Gibson said.

It has the full endorsement of her mom and softball coach, Julie.

“I love when the girls want to do it all,” Julie said. “If they’re willing to work hard and participate in all of it, we’re willing to give a little bit here and there for it.”

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Competitive sisters

Hannah heavily contributed both ways as a sophomore last season.

She furnished 30 hits with a .357 batting average and four home runs — all the while going 7-2 with a 2.25 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 93 1/3 innings.

She now mostly leaves the pitching up to her younger sister, Hallie.

Hallie chalked up a 3.36 ERA and team-best 86 strikeouts in 66 2/3 innings as a freshman and was named all-SCC third team last spring.

She is humming as the team‘s unquestioned ace this season. Hallie is 12-3 with a 1.71 ERA and 158 strikeouts in 94 innings.

Hallie said she developed confidence as a pitcher in 14U and singled out the fastball as her favorite pitch “because I just know I can zone it in and throw one perfect all of the time.”

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The Gibsons just had to get over their natural sibling rivalry at first.

“I love playing with her, it’s really fun,” Hallie said. “She’s a very good hitter, so it helps as a pitcher because we score runs and I get comfortable.

“And I just love playing with her because freshman year, we didn’t get along very well. But now that we’ve both matured, we get along really well, so it’s really fun to play together.”

Hannah has certainly made the most of her opportunities at the plate despite appearing in nine of the team’s first 17 games. She has a .407 average with 11 hits and two home runs.

“Hallie helps me a lot,” junior catcher Addison Ruyle said. “She strikes out a lot of people ... and Hannah hits a lot of good balls. I feel like we’re all a good part of the team.”

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Strong core

The Cavaliers are off to a blistering start at 15-3 overall and 4-0 in the SCC. They meet defending league champion Gillespie in a conference showdown on Tuesday, April 23.

Gibsons are only part of the winning equation. The team’s core initially came together through the new middle school program.

“It was a great way to bring them all together because several of them had played travel ball — some of them on the same teams and others kind of scattered out,” Julie said, “so it was nice to get them all playing together. They’ve been a really good solid team since then.”

They have had their fun along the way. According to the IHSA web site, the Cavaliers have never achieved 20 wins or a regional title. That appears destined to change.

“We’re pretty close as a team,” Hallie said. “It’s very fun because we’ve known each other for a long time because we played in middle school and rec ball together. I’d say we’re all pretty close and we’ve all come a really long way.”

Ruyle launched her eighth home run of the season in an 8-1 SCC win over Litchfield at Loveless Park on Monday, April 15. She had her share of long balls in the offseason but she never had any in a Cavaliers uniform until this season.

“It’s my first time in high school,” Ruyle said after the win. “I’m getting a late start, I guess, my junior year.”

Ruyle said she focused on getting the cork through the ball at The Hitting Center out of Springfield and feels more relaxed in the batter's box.

She additionally helps call Hallie’s pitches behind the plate.

“That pitcher-catcher relationship is super important,” Julie said. “Addie does a great job, we let her call the pitches for the most part. Every once in a while we might request a pitch, but she’s played ball long enough. She’s called lots of pitches that we trust her and we like letting her have that responsibility.”

Julie beamed about the defense, too.

Ruyle fielded a tough catch near the backstop fence while junior first baseman Isabella Tiburzi scooped up every throw that came her way against the Purple Panthers.

Tiburzi and senior outfielder Olivia Kunz were both all-SCC first teamers last season. Tiburzi (.404) and Kunz (.333) are among several other prolific hitters. Others include senior Karly Tipps (.393), junior Braley Wiser (.367) and junior Kendal Maddox (.359).

“I feel very happy when I’m here,” Hallie said.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Carlinville softball builds core around Gibson sisters, Hannah and Hallie