Softball: Antioch's Cook is on the move, to Lafayette

Hannah Cook can move a softball from top to bottom, bottom to top and side to side.

But when Antioch's crafty pitcher stepped foot on the campus of Lafayette College for the first time, it was she who was moved, emotionally.

"It's the college that you see in movies, really," she said.

Cook and her mother had made a road trip to Lafayette, located in Easton, Pa., in the Lehigh Valley between Philadelphia and New York City, last August. The senior then flew out by herself for a softball camp and met Leopards head coach Jexx Varner and the players. Cook was on Spring Break when she learned that she had been accepted into the college. As soon as she got the news, she emailed Varner and accepted a walk-on spot.

Lafayette plays at the Division I level in the Patriot League.

What college wouldn't want a student/athlete like Cook? She sports a weighted 4.55 GPA (4.0 scale), scored 1540 on her SAT and 32 on her ACT. She plans on majoring in civil engineering and might seek a double major with math.

"I had almost lost hope thinking about finding a college," Cook said. "(Lafayette) was just perfect. I've just had this image of a college in my mind the past few years. When I walked onto the campus, it was the right size and exactly what I had always imagined. The coach was just so easy to talk to, definitely the type of coach that I would love to play for. There were people in the engineering department that were so enthusiastic about it that I just knew it was home."

Playing college softball has been a goal for Cook, whose sister Alyssa played for Antioch, Judson and Monmouth. Hannah Cook has played for Antioch's varsity since her freshman year and last season earned all-North Suburban Conference honors. She and Stephanie Bonaguidi have been the Sequoits' formidable 1-2 duo in the circle the last two seasons.

Bonaguidi, the harder-throwing of the two right-handers, usually starts and Cook finishes up.

"Hannah has the tough job of coming into the games late where teams are doing anything they can to score runs," Antioch coach Anthony Rocco said. "She also comes (into games) in the middle of innings to get out of a jam."

That's what happened against No. 2-ranked Stillman Valley last month. Cook entered the game in the fourth inning with the bases loaded and none out. She escaped with giving up only 1 run, despite facing the middle of the order.

"I'm the movement pitcher on the team," Cook said. "Rocco will tell you that Steph is the speed and I'm the spin."

Through Monday, Cook was 6-4 with 2 saves and a 2.78 ERA, striking out 47 batters in 50⅓ innings. She notched 3 saves as a junior.

"Honestly, I love closing for Antioch, knowing that I have some way to contribute to the team," Cook said. "Stephanie is an awesome starter, and she and I love working together. We're best friends on and off the field."

Cook is a starting pitcher for her travel team, the Bordertown Bandits. Once she gets to Lafayette, she'll take the ball whenever they give it to her and whatever the situation is in the game.

"I'll just be happy to be playing," she said. "Whatever they think I'm best suited for is what I'll do."