Turns out Hersey’s Tinaglia is a big hit with Iowa State
Alex Tinaglia has spent many years competing in the highest level of travel soccer.
She played goalkeeper for the Arlington Aces and last year helped her team win the Metro Showcase tournament in St. Louis.
Tinaglia even had Division I soccer coaches vying for her services. But another sport was her ace in the hole.
Tinaglia will go to college on a scholarship to play Division I softball. The Hersey first baseman has made a verbal commitment to Iowa State in Ames, Iowa.
“It’s very frustrating that I haven’t been able to do both sports in high school (both are in the spring),” Tinaglia said. “I have been playing soccer for as long as I can remember but once I started softball in sixth grade, I kind of fell in love with it.”
She also fell in love with Iowa State this summer.
“I went for a four-day camp there for softball and kind of fell in love with the campus,” she said. “It’s kind of a rural area, not too much city-like. It’s a bit out in the middle of nowhere. I felt I belonged there. Kind of love at first sight.”
Hersey softball coach Molly Freeman likes the fit for her left-handed first baseman.
“I’ve known those coaches at Iowa State for a long time from when I used to be an assistant coach at Louisiana-Monroe,” said Freeman, a former Fremd and Illinois-Chicago softball standout. “Alex comes from a great family and I know she is going to really good people at Iowa State who will take care of her so I’m thrilled.”
Cyclones softball coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler is already looking forward to Tinaglia’s bat and glove in the lineup.
“Alex is a great infielder and she’ll add essential depth for us,” she said. “She has experience at hitting in the leadoff spot in the batting order and does a really nice job of getting on base. It’s always important to bring in people who can consistently put themselves in scoring position, and Alex can do that for us.”
Tiniglia did that quite often last spring for Freeman.
A Daily Herald All-Area selection, Tinaglia batted .394 with 11 doubles and 3 triples. She also scored a team-high 33 runs.
Tinaglia batted .443 for her Mt. Prospect Power team last summer.
She enjoys both parts of the game — defense and offense.
“I will attempt to field any hit or teammate’s throw in order to make the out at first base and I will enter the batter’s box to take on any pitcher with confidence,” she said.
Tinaglia spends several hours working out at Drive Performance in Wheeling.
She has worked just as hard in the classroom, compiling a GPA of 3.66 on a 4.0 scale and scoring a 30 on the ACT exam.
She plans to focus on a degree in biology, animal science or pre-vet and hopes to become a veterinarian.
“My travel coaches (Vick Lazzeretti and Dave Mayerck) as well as my high school coaches (Freeman and Catherine Zaworski) are very supportive of my efforts,” Tinaglia said. “I know all these relationships have really helped me to succeed.”
Freeman calls Tinaglia a huge success.
“She works hard, loves the game and is a great kid,” Freeman said. “She has it all going for her so I’m really excited for her.”
Tinaglia recently played her final soccer game for the Aces.
She will miss the sport but the skills she uses on the soccer field can transfer over to the softball diamond for the 5-foot-8 senior who possesses a wing span of 5-11.
“I often use my goalie skills for leaps and stops at first base,” she said.
Suffice it to say, Tinaglia is an ace in either sport.