Whether watching Hampshire’s Bria Riebel patrolling the infield at shortstop or taking a few turns at the plate, it doesn’t take too long to realize she stands out in a crowd.
And if the 5-foot-6 junior is playing at home, a couple tell-tale signs help emphasize the point.
“Mine’s like always dirty,” she said, looking down at the dingy jersey of her home white uniform.
Then there’s the tear in her pants near the hip.
“Yeah, ripped from sliding,” she said.
Diving for the ball, sliding for an extra base, Riebel brings it.
“She’s fun to watch,” Whip-Purs coach Jeremy Bauer said with a smile. “Good defense, good hitting, good team player. She’s always on the bases, always getting dirty on the infield.
“She’s somebody who’s gonna put forth 100% effort every day.”
It was true again Thursday as Riebel led Hampshire to a 12-2 nonconference win in five innings over Geneva. She went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a grand slam and drove in seven runs.
Junior catcher Ali Sondergaard and junior third baseman Chloe Van Horn both hit home runs and sophomore first baseman Mia Robinson ended up with two doubles among her three hits.
All of that came in support of junior pitcher Lily Sippel for Hampshire (19-12). Senior pitcher Elise Strohm produced a double that drove in both runs to lead Geneva (5-22).
A smooth backhanded grab and strong throw to first in the final inning accounted for one of Riebel’s two infield assists. She got dirty on a dive for a grounder that went for a single to left field.
A South Dakota State commit, Riebel said she takes care of the laundry for her uniform most of the time, but she does need a bailout from her mom, Kim, on occasion.
“I’ll call her up and say, ‘Hey, mom, I left (the uniform) on the dryer, do you want to throw it in for me?’” Bria said, knowing the answer. “Oh, thanks, you’re the best.”
Her big day at the plate also lifted her season average to .561 (60-for-107).
“Obviously, she’s always had the arm strength,” Bauer said. “She was a catcher and a shortstop earlier in her travel career. She would be phenomenal at whatever position she wanted to play.
“She’s just an athlete who, once she make up her mind what she wants to do, is really good. It could be gymnastics, basketball, volleyball. We’re just happy she really enjoys softball.”
She came by it naturally, too.
Her mom played in high school. Bria’s older brother, Caden, played second base for Hampshire’s 2019 baseball team that went to state and finished fourth in Class 4A.
Her dad, Eric, played two years at both Kishwaukee Junior College and Florida Atlantic, leading the latter with 71 hits and a .346 batting average during the 1993 season.
“Definitely my dad,” Bria said of her biggest influence.
She doesn’t take lessons but credited work with her dad and travel coach Brent Carroll for helping with her hitting.
Thursday’s grand slam was her ninth home run of the season, matching her total last spring, and the seven RBIs gave her 48 for the season. She only had one home run as a freshman.
“It hit the top of that right field fence and just fell over,” she said. “That was it.”
Why softball?
“I like the action in it and the competitiveness, too,” Riebel said. “You don’t get a lot of opportunities, so when you get one, you have to make the most of it.
“I’ll go on YouTube and watch highlights of recent games, then I’ll go out on the field and think, ‘I have to make those plays. I want to look that good.’”
She’s off to a good start.
Senior left fielder Carissa Schuman has played with Riebel going back to their Little League days.
“Bria’s phenomenal everywhere,” Schuman said. “I’ve seen her pitch in practice. You should see her pitch. She’s not a pitcher, but she could be.”
