Gaby Grabowski ranks with a half-dozen pitchers hoping to take over the spotlight this high school season following the graduation of national standout Delanie Gourley, the El Capitan High product now dealing strikeouts with the University of Florida.
Already ticketed to follow her older sister, former East County player of the year Mary Grabowski, on scholarship to the University of San Diego, the Patriots junior is building her own resume of credentials.
Gaby Grabowski ranks with a half-dozen pitchers hoping to take over the spotlight this high school season following the graduation of national standout Delanie Gourley, the El Capitan High product now dealing strikeouts with the University of Florida.
Already ticketed to follow her older sister, former East County player of the year Mary Grabowski, on scholarship to the University of San Diego, the Patriots junior is building her own resume of credentials.
During the recent club season, Grabowski pitched her Third Degree U18 Gold Club team to an American Softball Association national crown, and then pitched for an all-star that represented the United States in a tour of Italy.
“I like to challenge myself, but I always like to thing that I can do better,” she said. “And we won, yet I still need to work the ball and put my defense in position to make plays.”
Competition in Italy consisted of adult teams, with players ranging from 18 to the mid 30s.
“Most of their teams could hit and field well—they were really scrappy,” she said. “But they didn’t have much experienced pitching like our teams do.”
A second issue came into focus. The pitcher for the Italian team was both the manager’s wife, and parents to a newborn. But when the babysitter dropped off the child at the ballpark, duties as a mother came before pitching duties in the circle.
To even things up, Grabowski, while still wearing the red, white and blue, was asked to switch sides and pitch for the Italians. Not an uncommon practice in such situations.
“It was kind of awkward, so I asked a couple of my teammates to join me,” she said. “And since many of the Italians also spoke Spanish, and I do too, we were able to communicate with each other. We made it work.”
Grabowksi proved as dominate against her own teammates during the week-long series. In Tuscany, she led Italy to their lone victory during the Americans’ tour.
Then in the final game played in Rome, Grabowski fired a perfect game against the Italians.
Twenty-one batters up, then sat right back down, with no one even getting a sniff of first base. She finished with 19 strikeouts, with only one player getting her bat on the ball in popping out twice.
Team USA was selected from a selection of Power Line players. The trip included stops for ballgames in Milan, Florence, Tuscany and Rome. It concluded with three days of sightseeing in the Italian capital.
