Bengals' Bal Can Do It All

As a senior, Samantha Bal has enjoyed plenty of success as a member of Oak Forest’s softball team, including earning a state title medal in 2009.

Bal, who plays second and third base, is a key member of this season’s 12-2 team. She says she’s been seeing the ball extremely well at the plate, and the results bear that out.

"I'm pretty sure I've gotten a hit (at least) once a game this year,” she said. “I just go up to the plate thinking that it's batting practice each time. I don't put the worry of the game on my shoulders. It's just about the game situation. That's been working for me."

Against Tinley Park on Tuesday, Bal extended that streak. She laid down a sacrifice bunt her first time up, then grounded out hard to short. She made the adjustment in the fourth and hit an RBI single (and later stole second base). In her last at-bat, she singled and scored in .

Bal also has been known to flash some leather. She had a pair of diving catches against Lemont earlier this season.

"Sam is a senior now and is a great lefty slapper,” Bengals coach Paige Stryczek said. “She's been that way since her sophomore year, which is when we first turned her around. She's gotten a hit in almost every game, but I'm not sure it's all 14. It is close, though. We look to her in that 2-spot to get on base and wreak some havoc."

Bal does create havoc, and in a variety of ways. She bunts, she can hit for power and she can generally mess with a lot of teams.

She is unsure if she will play softball in college. She’ll be heading to the University of Arizona to study astronomy. She’ll have to be a walk-on if she wants to continue her softball career.