Baranek: Brittany Gardner reprises Sandburg softball success at Loyola

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

The last time Brittany Gardner pitched for Sandburg High School, in June 2010, she raised her arms in triumph, a state champion at EastSide Centre in East Peoria.

The first time Gardner pitched for Loyola University this spring, it was hardly as memorable — in fact, it was an experience she’d like to forget.

It was Opening Day in Texas, and she surrendered a grand slam and a two-run homer before being pulled in the fourth inning.

Take two? Not good, either.

Gardner gave up two two-run blasts before again being pulled in the fourth inning.

She definitely wasn’t feeling like a champion.

“I was thinking, ‘I’m not going to survive college. I’m not going to make it through the next few months. I can’t do this,’ ” Gardner said in a phone conversation Thursday.

But with encouragement from her coaches and a never-quit attitude, she did make it through the next few months. And she not only survived, she thrived.

Gardner etched her name in the Loyola record book en route to earning 2011 Horizon League Newcomer of the Year honors.

“I didn’t expect it. I was really surprised,” she said. “When the coaches texted and said, ‘We’re so proud of you,’ I was like, ‘Ohh, sweet! I didn’t know I was going to get that!’ ”

Somehow, it didn’t surprise me that Gardner was shocked. She was never a “look at me” type of player during a stellar Sandburg career in which she was a three-time All-Area selection.

She certainly wouldn’t consider herself a Sandburg legend. But guess what?

There have been many Eagles pitching greats over the years. A few I thought of off the top of my head were Gina Ugo, Kelley Morris, Brittany McIntyre and Sara Olson.

But none was able to raise her arms in triumph as Gardner did after catching a bouncer back to the mound and throwing to first for the final out of Sandburg’s 2-1 victory over Fremd on June 12, 2010.

“I don’t think it even set in that night that we had won,” Gardner said. “But now when I look back I can appreciate what a special year it was, just from the togetherness we had on that team. We always hung out, all of us together, after games.”

And they’re still close. Gardner, Emma Jarrell and Morgan Biel — all integral members of the state title squad — attended Sandburg’s Senior Day game Tuesday and went out for dinner with the team.

“It was a lot of fun,” Gardner said, laughing. “We were like, ‘Ohh, our little juniors are seniors now and they’re graduating.’ It was good to catch up and talk to them.

“The nine (returning) girls from last year are just amazing players and amazing people. I think they’re motivated to go out and give it their all this year again.”

As for Gardner, she’s ready for summer ball with the Indiana Slammers women’s fastpitch team after a fine college freshman campaign in which she became the first Loyola player to earn league Newcomer of the Year since 1995 and tied a Loyola single-season record for wins by a freshman (with 14). She posted a 2.28 ERA, tossed 14 complete games and held her opponents to a .212 batting average. Her 187 strikeouts in 190 innings put her third on the all-time Loyola single-season list.

Her 14th victory was a 2-0 decision over Detroit to clinch the Horizon League regular-season title.

Ramblers coach Missy Beseres and assistant Brittany Pascale (yes, the one who helped lead Lincoln-Way East to the Class AA state title in 2002) turned out to be right.

As Gardner tells it, they had faith in her ability when she had doubts after those first, shaky collegiate outings.

“They talked to me a lot,” she said. “They said, ‘It’s OK. It’s just a rough start. We’ve got things to work on, but we’ll have you pitch a lot. We’ll get through this. We know you can do it.’ ”

Sometimes, a little faith can take you a long way.