Ryan Jones’ Determined Return Helps St. Rita’s Playoff Run

Ryan Jones faced surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his right wrist shortly before the playoffs. The assumption was that St. Rita would be without their junior infielder and pitcher. However, Jones aimed to return if his team reached the state competition. He surprised everyone by making a comeback even earlier to ensure they got there.

“It feels great,” Jones expressed. “Since my surgery, I’ve been focused on returning to help the team any way I can. It just feels awesome.”

Jones rejoined for the Class 3A Crestwood Supersectional on Monday. He reached base three times in St. Rita’s 2-0 victory over Nazareth, contributing a single and two walks. St. Rita (28-12) now faces East Peoria (27-13) in a state semifinal at Slammers Stadium in Joliet.

Coach John Nee had hoped to have Jones back if the team made it to state, but his return was unexpected for Monday’s game. Especially since Jones still had stitches.

“He texted me Saturday and asked if I would be at St. Rita on Sunday,” Nee said. “I asked why, and he said, ‘I think I can take some swings.’ Our hitting coach met him. I threw to him in the cage on Monday. I called his dad to make sure he was okay with it. He gets the stitches out Tuesday, but he figured it’s 12 hours. Let’s go.”

Jones was eager to join his team, accepting the challenge of playing with some pain.

“I’d like to credit my team for motivating me to push through adversity and be my best,” Jones admitted.

Jones has been a leading hitter for St. Rita with a .473 batting average and is third in RBIs with 33. He has also contributed 24 runs and eight doubles. As a bullpen pitcher, Jones is 2-0 with a 2.80 ERA over 10 appearances. Batting cleanup on Monday, his return was welcomed by teammates like Julio Gutierrez, who praised Jones’ impact.

“Ryan’s back,” Gutierrez said. “It feels good to have him back. It just adds another hitter in our lineup who can rake. I love that he’s back.”

Jones faced the initial disappointment of his late-season injury but found fulfillment in staying involved with the team despite limitations.

“It was hard to practice knowing I couldn’t do everything I wanted to and had to watch,” he said. “But it was still fun being with the guys. I made the most out of it until I was ready.”

Returning to play with high stakes was challenging, yet Jones thrived on the excitement.

“I was a bit concerned about my performance upon return,” he shared. “But I was more excited to play in front of a big crowd and do my best.”

St. Rita has secured its fifth state trophy, the first since 2019. They are now two wins away from their first state championship.

“I felt this coming at the start of the year,” Jones said. “I knew we had a shot and I’ve been eager for it. Now we just need to keep the bats hot and the pitching strong.”