Zion-Benton sophomore infielder Delia Alaniz spends a lot of her free time drawing.
Alaniz estimates she averages several hours most days, although she doesn’t draw anything related to her sport.
“I like to mostly draw facial features or flowers,” she said. “It calms me, takes all my energy away and helps my mind.”
Alaniz draws on other traits on the field, where she batted .339 with a .420 on-base percentage, five doubles, two home runs and a team-high 16 RBIs last year. She hit an inside-the-park home run during the Zee-Bees’ 13-0 win against Lake Forest on Monday as she tries to get back into the swing of things early in the season.
Alaniz, who also wrestled during her freshman year, said she’s slowly starting to reap the benefits of her offseason work, which included travel softball.
“Last year on varsity went pretty good,” she said. “It was also tough, depending on the team we played against. I worked on my hitting to get better and location-wise. I’ve been starting to hit the ball good. I’ve been mainly focusing on my grades, doing good in school and being a good teammate.”
Zion-Benton senior Nadia McCabe said Alaniz will start heating up at the plate.
“She’s a really good hitter,” McCabe said. “She’s very patient at the plate and hits the ball very well.”
Zion-Benton’s Delia Alaniz catches during a North Suburban Conference game at Lake Forest on Monday, April 8, 2024. (Mark Ukena / News-Sun)
Zion-Benton coach Tina Meyer said she thinks Alaniz’s best is yet to come.
“She hasn’t showed the potential she has yet,” Meyer said. “She goes to the plate with a plan and swings hard every time and is an aggressive player in the box.”
Alaniz is contributing in other ways, though. She has been a jack-of-all-trades on defense for the Zee-Bees (3-1), playing shortstop, third base and catcher, and she always arrives ready to work, according to Meyer.
“Delia is a key player because she’s very versatile and has a great attitude,” Meyer said. “She’s willing to play wherever the team needs her, and she does it with a positive attitude. She comes to practice and games ready to go every day. She hustles and gives 100%.
“She is a little on the quiet side, but I’m slowly seeing her personality come out more. I’m looking forward to her opening up over the next three years. She’s a hardworking athlete who’s slowly coming out of her shell and showing leadership qualities.”
Zion-Benton sophomore Johanna Villalobos also recognizes Alaniz’s contributions to the team go way beyond statistics.
“On the field, she brings positive energy, picks people up when they are down on themselves, is good at communication on and off the field, and is having fun all the time,” Villalobos said. “She’s very dedicated to the team.”
Zion-Benton senior catcher Symphany Carrington, a fourth-year starter, agreed that Alaniz is particularly good about supporting her teammates.
“What makes Delia a special person is that she’s able to bring a smile to a teammate’s face when they are feeling down,” Carrington said. “She also brings fun energy to every game.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
