Kaneland’s Dimmig-Potts on fire

Watching Kaneland senior first baseman/catcher Andrea Dimmig-Potts crush the ball — as she has all spring and did again going 3-for-3 last Thursday against DeKalb — is nothing new to Knights fans.

It’s also nothing new for DeKalb coach Jeff Davis.

“I have watched her the last four years grow up and be an awesome hitter,” Davis said. “Whoever faces her better not throw one in the zone because she is going to kill it.”

DeKalb threw Dimmig-Potts one in the zone in the first inning and she promptly crushed it high into the trees beyond the left-field fence. That is one of 5 home runs she hit in her team’s first 11 games.

“The ball she hit up in the trees was ridiculous,” Kaneland coach Brian Willis said. “She is tough to get out.”

DeKalb also threw Dimmig-Potts a strike in her next at-bat and she delivered a 2-run double.

In the third at-bat DeKalb kept the ball away and off the plate... and the result brought a chuckle to the Barbs when Dimmig-Potts reached out and lined an opposite field double to deep right.

“We got a giggle out of her last at-bat, we were willing to walk her and she sticks her bat out and drove one to the fence in right,” Davis said. “We tip our hat to her, she is an awesome athlete. I’d like to sit here and say I’d be sorry to see her go but I’ll be glad when she is gone.”

Dimmig-Potts has another big bat right behind her in the order in Katy Dudzinski giving Willis the kind of pop that any coach would like to have.

“They have just been crushing the ball,” Willis said. “She (Dimmig-Potts) is not hitting the ball any harder (than last year), the difference is the ball elevating this year. She hit several line drives off the fence last year.”

Dimmig-Potts said she worked hard to prepare for her senior year. It has paid off in her staggering numbers this year — .550 average, 5 homers, 10 doubles, 24 RBI and a 1.175 slugging percentage in her first 11 games, and that was before going 3-for-3 Monday against West Aurora.

It’s also paid off with a spot on the Southern Illinois-Edwardsville team next year.

“I’ve had a good start to the season,” Dimmig-Potts said. “It’s from all the off-season work and practicing really hard.”

“She is focused, she wants to have a good year, she wants her teammates to have success,” Willis said. “She is committed to that.”

Experience counts: Besides St. Charles North, Geneva and Rosary are two of the most experienced teams this spring.The Royals start seven seniors led by shortstop and leadoff hitter Brenda Rocha. After hitting .455 last year, Rocha is back to her old tricks.And she#146;s also enjoying her role as a senior that the younger players can look to for advice.#147;We knew this year we had a lot of leadership and I think that definitely helps,#148; Rocha said. #147;The senior leadership, having the confidence in saying what we want to say to the younger players. If they are nervous or something just talk to them and they loosen up.#148;Rosary coach John Kazmierczak certainly likes having both the leadership and speed that Rocha #8212; and several others #8212; bring.#147;I like our team speed,#148; Kazmierczak said. #147;Doing drills in the beginning of the season, obstacle course, agility, comparing times and seeing where they can improve. They can be aggressive on the basepaths.#148;Geneva (6-3) also has a solid group of returning starters. That experience helped the Vikings to early-season wins over Jacobs and West Chicago, among others.#147;Compared to last year we have grown so much as a team,#148; said center fielder Bridget Weitzel, a returner but one of the younger players as a sophomore. #147;We have learned to work together well and what works and what doesn#146;t. We have a lot of strong key players who can play many different positions.#148;Kelly McCaffrey has been a workhorse in the circle and also a presence at the plate.#147;I feel more confident this year,#148; McCaffrey said. #147;I think starting out getting hits helped me out knowing I can do it.#148; Geneva coach Greg Dierks certainly is pleased with the job McCaffrey is going both pitching and hitting.#147;She needed to improve her percentage of swings she#146;s making contact,#148; Dierks said. #147;She had too many she wasn#146;t getting square. But she has been off to a great start. She has deceiving power. She doesn#146;t have to swing hard.#148;Strong at the top: On of the first changes first-year St. Charles North coach Tom Poulin did this spring was move senior second baseman Sydney Russell into the leadoff spot.Russell hit third for the North Stars last year and had plenty of success. But Poulin had a good reason for moving her to the top.#147;She#146;s a contact hitter, can bunt, she#146;s got good wheels,#148; Poulin said. #147;Looking at stats from the past couple seasons, she has the highest on-base percentage, a lot of walks, one of the girls who strikes out the least. We have a lot of girls who can go there. She does a good job in that spot.#148;Russell started the season going 4-for-4 in her first game against Plainfield Central. She#146;s doing just what Poulin hoped, hitting .444 with a .464 on-base percentage and just 1 strikeout in 28 at-bats.The only person with a higher average is outfielder Ashley Seering, off to a sizzling start hitting .571 with 3 doubles, 2 triples and 2 RBI for a 1.036 slugging percentage.