Career winding down for Red Devils’ Klebenow

Updated: May 17, 2011 8:08PM

With three games remaining in the softball regular season, Kathryn Klebenow has learned to appreciate every game she plays.

Klebenow knows it could all be over soon. The Hinsdale Central senior center fielder and leadoff hitter will head to Auburn University this fall with plans to major in industrial design.

Her next appearance on a softball field after this season may be limited to an intramural contest.

Klebenow started playing softball at age 11 while living in Avon, Conn.

Klebenow’s family moved to Hinsdale just before high school. The team’s only four-year varsity player added a new gig of late as a starting catcher for the Red Devils.

“I think I will catch the rest of the games,” Klebenow said. “It’s eye-opening. It’s a completely different game from behind the plate. But I enjoy catching.”

Hinsdale Central (4-15, 1-10 West Suburban Silver) ends the regular season with three home games. St. Francis plays at Hinsdale Central at 4:30 p.m. Friday and the Red Devils host Addison Trail in a doubleheader at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Hinsdale Central, a 20th seed, plays at 13th-seeded Plainfield North at 4:30 p.m. Monday in a Class 4A regional quarterfinal. The winner plays fourth-seeded Plainfield Central at 4:30 p.m. May 24 at Benet. The Red Devils lost to Plainfield North 8-1 on April 11 in Hinsdale.

Wins have been tough to come by for a Central team which has only two seniors, four sophomores and a freshman on the roster. The other senior, Maggie Brennan, did not play last season to concentrate on basketball.

“I enjoy it, closing (my career) with Maggie. We have been friends for a while and initially I think she was thinking about playing soccer instead of making a comeback in softball.”

Klebenow said Brennan consulted with her during the offseason on which sport to play this spring.
“She knew my viewpoint on that decision,” Klebenow said.

The only other player on the Red Devils varsity with three years of experience is outfielder Jen Loiselle.

“All in all, now that the season comes to a close I’m more nervous about playing (my last game) with friends and the coaches,” Klebenow said. “We’re not winning. That doesn’t matter.”

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