Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Another commit for the 2024 class - she’s ranked #4 in the class

 

2024 is shaping up to be a really great class!

 

Hanover Central's Gabi Comia carving her own path as top recruit
Hanover Central's Gabi Comia carving her own path as top recruit

CEDAR LAKE — When Gabi Comia comes to the plate, there's a pretty good chance she's going to create a run — one way or another.

Take the Hanover Central shortstop's first three plate appearances on Wednesday against Lowell.

In the first inning Comia was hit by a pitch, then immediately tried to swipe second, though she was called out for leaving the base early. In the fourth inning she beat out an infield single, quickly took second base on a steal, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, and then scored after it looked like a throw from the catcher had picked her off third base.


Gabi Comia leads Hanover Central with eight steals so far in 2022.

John J. Watkins, The Times
Then, in the fifth inning, she ripped a single up the middle, wasted no time stealing second and then scored in the subsequent at-bat on an error.

Noticing a pattern?

"That's just the type of game I try to play," Comia said. "If such things are slow, I'm going to do what I can to get this team going."

That's what separates Comia from other good hitters. She doesn't need to wait around for a run-producing situation, she'll go out there and create one.

"That's something you don't teach," coach Sam Antkiewicz said, "and we're glad she's on our side. Her abilities are something you don't see every day. She's a special talent."

The sophomore is off to a blistering start to her Wildcats career. She's hitting .611 with 11 runs and five RBIs in just 22 plate appearances.

She was hoping to make her varsity debut last spring, but a full meniscus tear dashed her hopes of suiting up as a freshman. After a six-month recovery process, Comia is back on the diamond and she hasn't missed a beat.


Hanover Central sophomore Gabi Comia is batting .611 with eight stolen bases so far in 2022.

John J. Watkins, The Times
"It's weird, finally getting to play," Comia said. "But once I stepped on the field, I just played, and we all get along like one big family."


Gabi isn't the first Comia to tear up the diamond at Hanover Central.

Gabi's brother Jared was a key cog for the Wildcats' baseball team that made it all the way to the state championship game in 2021. The elder Comia hit .467 with three home runs and 33 RBIs, while tacking on 16 stolen bases in his senior season.

Jared now plays baseball for the University of Illinois, something that has become somewhat of a family tradition.

First, it was Gabi and Jared's older cousin, Branden Comia who suited up for the Illini. He's compiled a .310 career batting average across 137 career games. Then, Jared joined the team this spring, seeing action in the outfield in six games. Branden's younger brother, Jayden, will follow next year when he finishes up at Carl Sandburg (Illinois) this spring.

"There's a lot of competitiveness, honestly, between the siblings and then the cousins," Gabi Comia said. "But I think the competitiveness has completely made me 100% better. A better player and person."

Gabi has certainly lived up to her last name. Last fall, Extra Inning Softball ranked her No. 4 in the 2024 class despite missing significant time with her injury.

With the competitiveness that comes with being a Comia, its easy to see why Gabi seems to try to start a one-person rally every time she steps into the batters box.

Rankings News: Perfect Game Softball Debuts List of 2024 Top 50 High School Prospects
Rankings News: Perfect Game Softball Debuts List of 2024 Top 50 High School Prospects - Extra Inning Softball
3. Gabi Comia (2024, Cedar Lake IN) – IF
The Cedar Lake native has proven she can not only bounce back from adversity on the field, but has shown throughout the summer why she is one of the best middle infielders in this 2024 class. Utilizing her speed down the line, Gabi is a triple threat in the box. She has the ability to stand in and swing away, but then can utilize her speed and create havoc on the basepath. Gabi can change a game defensively as well. She covers ground efficiently and has a quick first step to the ball. Her quick transfer and her ability to be a leader on the diamond are two other of the big factors that land her on the top of the list for best middle infielders in this class.

 

We are going to be swiping some bases going forward I see.

 

23 class might be the best class I've ever seen ....but 24 is starting to shape up as incredible as well.

 

CTW is building it stronger than ever !!!

 

Just gotta get those gals in and take the Sooners down !

 

you guys might not want to hear this, but NIL is really helping with this group also. These girls are highly marketable and while they might not get a lot of money. They will get a lot of benefits around Gainesville and surrounding areas to go along with a great university with a superior education system. Damn we have it all

 

NIL or no, just keep stacking talent. I really like how they don’t allow kids to commit so early anymore. I think it also helps the good recruiters like Walton. Instead of trying to project what these kids are going to be 10 years out, Coach is able to target the elite when they are much more of a sure thing. Bright future ahead for the Gators hopefully.

 

Exhibition game @ UCF is starting now. Go Gators!

 

We won 6-5. Down two runs for a long time, then a huge four-run middle inning, giving us a 6-2 lead into the final inning, only to have UCF rock Hightower who came in just for that inning. One HR, some walks, and hits. If the strike zone were between the ankles and the knees, Hightower would have had a no hitter.

Sunday will be interesting. This was not our best game by far. Two errors and we benefited from a ton of walks given to us, including two runs walked in and a HBP that scored a run. Bayee Goddard seemed to be channeling Sophia Reynoso and got hit twice. We did have bases loaded a lot which made for some drama.

Enormous crowd -- standing room only with people sitting on the steps, standing in the outfield, and basically hanging in the stands anywhere and everywhere. Interesting -- UCF crowd skews very young compared to KSP, where I think an AARP card is almost required for admission. Lots of elementary school kids in the stands at UCF.

 

The UCF coach has built a good program. Florida talent has come a long way over the last decade or so.
Also it makes their season if they can get a win against the Gators.

 

After you talked about So So and getting hit by a pitch, I went back and did a little research.
This is the best info I could find.
Note: Baylee Goddard has 31 in two years.

 

Interesting -- I didn't realize that Baylee got hit that much. My respect for her just went up. It can't be an easy thing to stand there and take one for the team. Seems like Baylee will easily surpass Reynoso's 53 career HBP.

I still miss that little spark plug.

 

Were you able to open the PDF? When I try and open it, it wants me to save it.
Sophia is doing athletic training and was on the sidelines at a Chargers game recently.
Are you coming tomorrow? We will probably be in the top 5 rows of 103. Look for a bald head and a big white head.

 

Anyone have a recap of the game today?

 

It was a double header and we won both. Both games would have been shut outs, but in the second game, Bender walked a runner to first, on next batter Bender's pitch in the dirt got passed the catcher and moved the runner to second, then Bender's pitch over the catcher's head moved her to third. Scored on a single.

To much ridicule, I've said that Mike Bosch is a genius in the way he can get pitchers to play at their max potential. Bender is going to be a challenge. Considering we were playing UNF and she has pitched similarly against other lesser opponents, for Bender to struggle as she has so far in Fall ball does not bode well. As a graduate transfer, you'd think she's already pretty close to her ceiling.

OTOH, I thought Rylee Trlicek looked particularly sharp, hitting all her marks. You don't think of her as a shut down pitcher but she had a bunch of strikeouts today. Again, its only UNF, but still nice to see.

Oddly, at one point she was pulled for one batter at the beginning of an inning, then went back in. Equipment malfunction? I didn't hear a flush.

In the last few games, we seem to have the bases loaded a lot. Today was no different. I think it is because we are able to lay off bad pitches and with the lower level of pitching in Fall ball, we get on base through walks.

That said, Kenda Falby has been up with the bases loaded almost half a dozen times in the last couple of games. Her skill set doesn't match up well with a force out at home. Never thought of that before today.

Baylee Goddard must be still recovering. She bats, but is not allowed to run. If she gets a hit, we sub a runner. She got plunked with pitches two times today. Since it was exhibition, we put a runner on first and she continued her at bat.

Except for the rain delay at the beginning, another fine day at KSP! Hope this wasn't a longer reply than you were looking for (TLDR).

 

No way I can see Bender throwing in meaningful innings

Looks like Gigante been hitting cleanup....pretty surprising to me, but a nice power boost if she is productive