Playing with power - Post-Tribune

SOFTBALL

Playing with power

Wagner recruit Doukas leads state-bound Andrean in homers with 6 this season after not hitting one before her senior year

CT_IC_1056705976_1056739110_014-0614_PTB-L-SOF-DOUKAS-061425-01-e1749817253205.jpg

Senior catcher Lanie Doukas is hitting .364 with a team-high six homers and 31 RBIs for Andrean, which will play Tecumseh in the Class 2A state championship game on Saturday. Michael Osipoff/Post-Tribune

CT_IC_1056705976_1056739111_014-0614_PTB-L-SOF-MUN-AND-0429-9.jpg

Doukas throws the ball to first base during a Northwest Crossroads Conference game against Munster on April 28. Kyle Telechan/Post-Tribune

PREVIOUS IMAGE

Image

NEXT IMAGE

By Michael Osipoff Post-Tribune

Andrean catcher Lanie Doukas’ production has increased across the board in her senior season.

Her explanation for that seems relatively simple.

“I’ve been really working on trying to hit the ball harder this year and not just hit for contact,” Doukas said. “That’s helped me get where I want to be.

“I’ve really been working on using my whole body behind my swing and attacking the pitches I want to drive instead of just strikes.”

Whatever Doukas is doing, it’s working, not only for her but also for the 59ers (23-7), who are ranked No. 3 in the state coaches poll and will play No. 1 Tecumseh (30-2) in the Class 2A state championship game at Purdue’s Bittinger Stadium at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Doukas, who is batting .364 with 31 RBIs, leads Andrean with six home runs even though she hadn’t hit one in her career until this season. She batted .271 with 14 RBIs as a junior and .289 with 16 RBIs as a sophomore.

She doesn’t have an explanation for the power surge.

“It just happened,” she said. “I really have no idea on that one. I guess I have more confidence in myself.

“Honestly, you just fake it till you make it. I didn’t really have that much confidence in myself the last few years. Just telling myself I’m good and I’m meant to be here really has helped me out.”

Still, Doukas was already a Division I recruit before this season, having committed to Wagner in November. She’s in her third season as the starting catcher for the 59ers, who reached the state championship game with her behind the plate in 2023.

Neither Andrean nor Tecumseh is a stranger to the state final. The 59ers have won three state titles, most recently in 3A in 2012, and have been runners-up four times. With eight appearances in state championship games, they’re tied for third.

The Braves have won five state titles, including back-to-back in 1A in 2022 and 2023. They’ve been runners-up a state-high six times, including last season, and their 12 appearances in state championship games tie them for the most with Center Grove.

Doukas is happy to be back.

“It means a lot, knowing that we came down my sophomore year and weren’t able to get the job done,” Doukas said. “Having a second chance to compete to win it all really means a lot to me.

“I’ve really been playing for my teammates, trying to do my role, getting our team where we want to be this year back at state. That’s been important to me. I’ve just really been trying to step it up as much as I can.”

Doukas has been instrumental in Andrean’s return. She has meshed well with junior Sadie Drousias, who is in her first season as the team’s No. 1 pitcher.

“She keeps me in line,” Drousias said. “She doesn’t hold back. She tells me what I’m doing wrong. She tells me what I need to fix. She makes me a better pitcher.”

Doukas also has struck a balance with Drousias.

“We have a good friendship,” Drousias said. “We know what each other needs. She’s there for me. She doesn’t let anything slide, but she knows to keep me positive when things go south.”

Doukas and Drousias put the time and effort into building that bond well before the season.

“Me and Lanie through the whole year, through the whole winter, we would always go and throw to prepare for the season,” Drousias said. “We got everything working — my spots, my spins, my consistency. We just worked every day, every week, just working on our own and at practice. We prepared for this together.”

Indeed, Doukas has seemingly taken more pride in her defense, including her efforts with Drousias, than in her offense.

“I’ve just really worked on building a relationship with Sadie and having a good connection with her,” Doukas said. “It carries on and off the field, and it’s helping our team because having that good battery and that good connection, the trust in each other, it’s helped us get to where we want to be.”

Senior third baseman Maggie Voliva, who was the designated player when the 59ers made the state championship game in 2023, said Doukas supports all of her teammates.

“I’ve known Lanie since I was 10 years old,” Voliva said. “We played travel together. She’s grown so much since I’ve known her since then. She used to be a quiet kid, and she’s still not the loudest girl. But she’s still a leader in the way she plays and the way she shows how to be a good person.

“She’s always there to pick you up whether you’re in the dugout or on the field.”

Andrean coach Miranda Elish also praised Doukas for the impact she has made.

“I love Lanie,” Elish said. “She’s a really special kid. I can’t believe this is my last week of being able to coach her. She’s so fun. She’s so smart.

“She’s like a student of the game. You ask Lanie to fix something or tell Lanie to do something, and she does it instantly. She’s an excellent leader. I’m so lucky to be able to coach her. I’m going to miss her a ton.”