Northwestern University Athletics
Passion for the Game
5/19/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 19, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill. -- This year's Northwestern softball team has re-written the single-season offensive record books en route to its second consecutive NCAA Regional Tournament berth. While freshman Garland Cooper and sophomore Kristen Amegin have been the biggest producers, there is an older, more familiar face getting things started.
For the fourth straight year, Carri Leto (El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla) has been the mainstay at the top of the Wildcat's lineup. "She is the glue holding this team together," NU head coach Kate Drohan says. "Carri Leto is our spark plug."
"I take that as a compliment," Leto says. "A big part of our team is creating energy on the field and in the dugout. It is something a great team needs late in the season."
Currently riding a 15-game hitting streak into the NCAA Regionals -- and having hit safely in 24 of NU's last 26 games -- the senior captain is living up to what she considers to be "a huge responsibility."
"I've always batted leadoff in that kind of a role," she says. "I enjoy it. People are always watching to see what I do."
But they haven't always been able to.
After starting all 136 games Northwestern played during her career, the second baseman suffered an injury in the 12th inning against Michigan in last season's Big Ten Tournament, forcing her to miss games for the first time in her life.
"There was a slow ground ball up the middle and I was just trying to get into position to make a routine play," Leto said. "I felt my knee just pop and I went to the ground. It did not hurt that bad at first; I was just mad I didn't make the play."
With NU holding a 1-0 lead in the contest, Leto played through the injury for the final three outs. "It felt like the top half of my leg was separated from the bottom part," she said.
And basically, it was. Leto had torn her ACL and the meniscus in her right knee, forcing her to miss the rest of the postseason.
ACL injuries are fairly frequent on the sports landscape, especially among females. While modern medical techniques make it possible to return to the playing field, it takes the competitive will of a spark plug to return to the lineup on opening day.
"People try to keep your spirits up by only telling you the success stories about people coming back early," Leto said. In truth, "rehab was horrible. Three hours a day, seven days a week literally until the first day of the season."
Setting her back even further was a second surgery to clean up scar tissue, but on opening day this year Leto was back at her familiar second base position, despite being unable to sprint or fully squat.
"Perseverance was a big thing," she said. "I was going to do whatever I could. Rehab was a lot harder than I thought it would be but I kept going because I had to or I wouldn't be where I am right now."
Where she is now is nothing short of remarkable. Leto has returned from a major injury to rank in the top seven all-time in 10 different offensive categories at Northwestern. She also became the first female athlete in the school's history to be drafted by a professional franchise when the New York/New Jersey Juggernaut of the National Professional Fastpitch league picked her second overall in the league's supplementary draft on March 30.
"I'm excited about the opportunity," Leto said. "I still have to make the roster, but I know I'll compete. I don't care what I play: infield, outfield or pinch-runner. I just want to play."
Meanwhile, her senior season continues into the NCAA tournament -- an opportunity she missed last year. She currently leads Northwestern in stolen bases, triples and being hit by a pitch while ranking second in hits and runs scored. She was named second-team All-Big Ten for the third consecutive year, second-team NFCA All-Region for the second time and also was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District V softball team.
When Leto finally takes the field for her first NCAA Regional at 11 a.m. Thursday against UC Santa Barbara, she'll bring with her four years of life lessons and one off-season that taught her a lot about having a passion for the game.
"(Coach Drohan) teaches us to play for the love of the game and to be a part of something bigger than ourselves," Leto says. "We can accomplish huge things together -- things that we could have never imagined."
The Wildcats attempt to qualify for their fourth Women's College World Series in the program's history this weekend and they will have to fire on all cylinders to do it.
It will be much easier, though, now that Northwestern has its spark plug back.
