Kuszak crushes 2 HRS in Tigers’ win
AURORA» On her visor, Holy Family High School senior Ava Kuszak wrote two phrases that have kept her going throughout the 2021 season.
The one underneath her cap is a motivational phrase that came from her dad. The more visible of the two is in remembrance of her dog that died earlier this summer. “Let Your Love Light Shine,” inspired by her father, is written in bright red and has pushed her throughout her stellar four-year career.
“My dad’s told me that since I was little,” Kuszak said. “It really inspires me to do my own thing and he knows what I can do, and that inspires me to do what I can do. To have a day like this is really special.”
She did it all Saturday at the Aurora Sports Park in the Tigers’ 10-4 win over D’evelyn in the Class 4A state championship softball game. It was the Tigers’ third 4A title in the past four seasons. Kuszak, a University of Wisconsin-madison softball commit, hit two home runs, including a deep three-run shot to left field. Tigers’ Kaylee Mcdonald added the team’s third home run in the fifth inning.
The Tigers (25-4) got ahead early, scoring five times in the first two innings, and did not let up. The seniors, Kuszak and catcher Abby Edwards, a Boise State commit, and Annika Manzares, committed to Wayne State, all played a huge role.
“Behind the plate, my strategy was to be unpredictable with the pitches I called,” said Edwards, who also drove in a run. “We’ve thrown out whatever we can to keep them off-balance. We had a few innings where they got to us, but I thought Izzy (Arroyo) was great.”
Arroyo, a freshman, stood firm on the mound and ended the season 17-0. She struck out four and allowed 10 hits, and only one earned run. She finished the season with a 1.81 ERA.
D’evelyn, the No. 7 seed in Class 4A, reached the title game for the third time in program history. Head coach Dan Porreco thought his team showed great fight throughout the year.
“All year these girls battled,” Porreco said. “Today was no different, and while it wasn’t the way we wanted to end the season, they hung in there.”
For Kuszak, her home runs couldn’t have come at a better time. She knew that once both pitches left her bat they were home runs.
“I just had that feeling that, ‘yeah, it’s outta here,’” Kuszak said. “For me to go out like this, three state titles in four years and a great group of girls that are in the program, I couldn’t be happier.”