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Confident slapper Keira Hayton keeps using her speed while batting third for West Aurora. ‘It's gonna go well.'

Confident slapper Keira Hayton keeps using her speed while batting third for West Aurora. ‘It's gonna go well.'

Chicago Tribune26-03-2025
Keira Hayton feels the need for speed, even if she happens to be slotted into a traditional power spot by batting third in West Aurora's lineup.
The 5-foot-4 senior, who signed in February with Missouri-St. Louis, has a game based on speed as she patrols center field for coach Randy Hayslett.
Hayslett has three speedsters at the top of his batting order, led by senior shortstop Sara Tarr and followed by strong slappers in sophomore left fielder Gracie Del Toro and Hayton.
'When it's working, it's gonna go well,' Hayton said. 'We have a lot of new people this year and a lot of younger girls.
'I think having Sara, Gracie and me at the top, when we all do our jobs, it will get us going good and give us a good start.'
The jury is still out following Tuesday's 13-4 loss to Riverside-Brookfield in Aurora in an Upstate Eight Conference crossover, primarily because of the small sample size.
On the plus side, the trio accounted for four of the six hits and three of the runs scored by the Blackhawks (0-2). Two starters had to leave mid-game for a National Honor Society induction and three missed last week's season-opening 9-6 loss to Waubonsie Valley for a school field trip.
And pitching, of course, will be just as big in the team's development. Hayslett used three Tuesday — freshman Bella Celeste Doyle and sophomores Ally Lambert and Aminah Leverence.
'Even if one of us three hits a single, the next pitch we're gonna likely be on second,' Hayton said. 'We're all hustling, moving around the bases. That's a good top three right there. I enjoy it.'
The trio combined for 39 steals last season — Tarr with 23, Hayton 11 and Del Toro five.
On Tuesday, the Blackhawks went 7-for-7 on steals as Tarr and Del Toro recorded two apiece. Hayton, sophomore right fielder Anna Tarr and sophomore infielder Balla Marzullo each had one.
Sara Tarr hit a two-run homer, her second of the season, and Marzullo added a two-run single.
'Coach wants me hitting leadoff to get the most at bats,' said Tarr, an Ohio State recruit in her fourth year as a varsity starter. 'I've been batting leadoff every year I've played here. He wanted Keira behind Gracie because Keira is not just a slapper. She can power hit.
'And if Gracie and I are on base, Keira can place the ball. It helps us more with runners on.'
Del Toro has made the biggest move after batting ninth last season.
'I was always on the bottom of the order,' Del Toro said. 'It was me and then Sara at leadoff. I had a hint at the end of the year we'd do this and I'd move up. It makes the top of our order very strong.
'I think it's likely that one of us three, if not two or all three, will get on base. Once we do, I remember Keira saying, 'We'll go around the bases. We all have good speed and are able to steal.' Having Anna (Tarr) in right let's us cover a lot of ground, too.'
Hayton, who hit .340 last season and earned third team all-state honors, should be able to improve upon her 16 RBIs.
'At first, when I saw I was hitting third, I was like, 'Whoa, boy, I'm no cleanup hitter,'' said Hayton, who has warmed up to the task. 'I make jokes about it, but it will depend on the game situation.
'I'm definitely still more of a slapper, though.'
Hayton did a lot of the legwork, along with help from older sister Kaylee, in finding her spot with Missouri-St. Louis.
Kaylee, a 2014 West Aurora alum who pitched for both North Central College and Aurora University, teaches young pitchers. She reached out this winter to the coaches after Missouri-St. Louis signed Huntley catcher/shortstop Madison Rozanski.
Sophomore May Pasqualini, an Oswego East graduate whose dad Mark coaches Aurora Central Catholic, also plays for Missouri-St. Louis.
'I'm really excited and can't wait to get started,' Keira said.
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Rich Hill Ties MLB Record Pitching For 14th Team At Age 45
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Forbes

time4 hours ago

  • Forbes

Rich Hill Ties MLB Record Pitching For 14th Team At Age 45

Rich Hill pitched for his 14th club, on the same mound as his MLB debut, at age 45. (Photo by Rob ... More Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) Rich Hill took the mound for the Kansas City Royals last night. Yes, that Rich Hill. The Rich Hill who was selected in the 36th round of last draft of last century. The Milton, Massachusetts native who has played for the Boston Red Sox on no less than four different occasions (but signed with them five times). The lefty who, after his career took a downturn in 2015, elected to play indie ball for the Long Island Ducks. Hill's first four big league seasons were on the North Side of Chicago, where he pitched reasonably well for the Cubs (18-17, 4.37 ERA, 4.57 FIP, 106 ERA+). He was then traded to the Baltimore Orioles, where he pitched one injury-marred season. He signed with the St. Louis Cardinals for 2010, but opted out of his deal at the end of June to sign (for the first time) with the Red Sox. After 2½ years in Boston, Hill signed with Cleveland, where he pitched one mediocre season. He then signed a minor league deal with Boston (Take #2), but never pitched with the big club before being traded to the Angels in July. He pitched in both ends of a doubleheader for the Halos, facing four batters, giving up a hit, walking three, and adding a wild pitch for good measure. He was released within the week. Hill then signed with the New York Yankees, where he lasted a touch longer – just over three weeks – before being designated for assignment. But the Yankees brought him back when rosters expanded in September, and he pitched in eight games, giving up only one earned run, striking out seven against a single walk. Prior to the 2015 season, Hill signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals. When he did not make the major league team by June, he opted out of his contract. And that is when he decided to retreat and regroup. After looking for work for a month (no takers), Hill elected to sign with the Atlantic League Long Island Ducks. He pitched two great games for the New York-based team, whereupon the Red Sox brought him back for a third time. Hill made five minor league starts in Pawtucket before the Red Sox had him come north to Boston. He started four games, going 2-1 with a 1.55 ERA, while striking out 36 strikeouts and walking only five. The next year (2016) he signed with the (then) Oakland Athletics and started Opening Day. In all, he made 20 starts for the A's, compiled a 12-5 record, had a 2.12 ERA, and struck out four times as many batters as he walked. On August 1st, Hill was traded (along with Josh Reddick) to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He started six regular season games for Los Angeles, going 3-2 with a 1.83 ERA. He also made three post-season appearances, including Game 2 of the NLCS that the Dodgers ultimately lost to the eventual World Series champion Cubs. Five weeks after the World Series, the Dodgers signed Hill to a three-year, $48 million contract. After all that career turmoil, this was Hill's first multi-year deal. In his first full season with the Dodgers, Hill made twice as much money as he had in his entire career to that point. When Hill's contract with the Dodgers expired, he signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Twins for the Covid-shortened 2020 season. In 2021, he signed another one-year deal – this time with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays traded Hill to the Mets at the deadline, and he made 12 starts for his third New York team (Yankees, Mets, and Ducks!). When that season ended, Hill went home again, signing with the Red Sox for the fourth time. After another year in Boston, Hill signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates for 2023. True to form, the Pirates dumped Hill's (massive?) contract, trading him to the San Diego Padres at the deadline. San Diego waived him by mid-September. Hill then decided to take off the first half of 2024. Instead of pitching in the big leagues, he elected to coach his son Brice's 12-year-old Little League team in his hometown of Milton. Hill had three major league offers in the off-season, but decided his son's final year of rec-league ball was more important than playing professional baseball. (Rich and his wife, Caitlin, lost a second son, Brooks, to lissencephaly and congenital nephrotic syndrome, when he was just two months old.) On August 18th of last year, Hill signed with the BoSox for the fifth time, making four appearances and throwing 3-2/3 innings. He was released on September 9th. In May, Hill signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals, and has been playing for their Triple-A affiliate in Omaha. His deal, like the one he signed with Washington ten years earlier, gave him the right to opt out if he was not on the big league roster by June 15th. When he was 35 years old, he exercised that right; now, at age 45, he stuck with the club. And his perspicacity was rewarded on Tuesday night. In a full-circle moment, Hill took the mound at Wrigley Field, the site of his first major league appearance, a mere 20 years ago. He threw 90 pitches over five strong innings, ceding six hits and only one earned run. Unfortunately, Hill took the loss for the Royals. There is no word yet on when (or if) his next start will be. By pitching with the Royals, Hill tied the MLB record (with Edwin Jackson) by playing for his 14th franchise. He became just the 18th pitcher start a game at age 45 or older (Jamie Moyer last did it back in 2012). To put all this in perspective, Hill made that first appearance at Wrigley Field in a game that Greg Maddux started. Maddux was inducted into the Hall of Fame eleven years ago. But looking back to 2005 is so 21st century. Christopher Kamka of Marquee Sports Network decided to give Hill's career even more (19th century) historical context:

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