The Furr High School softball team is undefeated this season behind a hard-hitting senior by the name of Gabriella Antunez. Antunez only stands 5-feet-6, but when standing in the batter’s box she forces opposing teams to back up.
“Gabby Antunez means everything to this team,” assistant coach Rodney Lewis said. “She is the backbone, the leader. As she goes, the team goes.”
Antunez currently leads the team in inside-the-park home runs, hits and RBIs. In fact, she has hit an inside-the-park home run in all seven games this season.
“I just try to get a straight hit, contact the ball and stay relaxed in the box,” Antunez said.
It’s hard to believe that this talented player has only been playing softball for four years. Before softball, she was all about baseball.
“I started playing baseball when I was four years old. My stepdad had a team called the Bulldogs,” Antunez said.
It was this early baseball training that prepared her to play select softball with Impact Gold her freshman year.
“We were going to Louisiana and playing a lot of teams in the state. It was pretty good. I learned a lot. It was better than baseball, to be honest. Playing select softball helped me transition to the high school level and compete at a high level,” Antunez said.
Because Antunez has routinely hit inside-the-park home runs this season, her teammates’ jobs are simply to get on base.
“She’s an excellent place hitter and she knows the game. If there are any kids on base, she’s expected to drive those runs in,” Lewis said.
After graduating Antunez hasn’t decided where she would like to attend college, but does plan to pursue a career in nursing while continuing to play softball.
“I want to study nursing because my mom has been a nurse for 24 years and she tells me about her work. I’ll be good at that job because I like helping people,” Antunez said.
About Gabriella Antunez
Class: 2023
Position: Shortstop
Height & weight: 5-feet-6, 158 pounds
Hobbies: Playing Call of Duty
Status: Uncommitted
Favorite artist: The Weeknd
Favorite subject: Physics
Shout-out: Mom
