PHILADELPHIA – Saint Hubert’s softball team’s bats are swinging, and at the right time. With three weeks remaining until the start of the Philadelphia Catholic League playoffs, the Bambies currently sit in second place with a 6-1 league record. St. Hubert’s hosted rival, Little Flower (2-4 PCL), yesterday afternoon where the Bambies secured their fifth straight victory 11-7.
“This was a really big win for us,” said St. Hubert’s senior Amanda Iriana.
Although the Bambies came away with the win, it was the Sentinel’s who took control of the opening three innings. Little Flower put up five runs to the Bambie’s one while entering the bottom of the third. Colleen Trahey, Alex Dolan, Ginny Britto, Courtney Sherwood, and freshman starting pitcher, Makenzie Paxson, all contributed to the Sentinel’s early run.
Little Flower's Colleen Trahey bats a runner home before Makenzie Paxson gets tagged out at the plate
Emma Clark sends home Kait Jaworski for St. Hubert's
In the top of the fourth, St. Hubert’s head coach Dave Schafer replaced starting pitcher Kait Jaworski with sophomore Lindsey Davies. This switch proved to be the turning point of the afternoon for the Bambies. Davies came in and retired three straight batters in the fourth inning, allowed only one scored run in the fifth, struck out the first three batters in the sixth inning and got the save in the top of the seventh.
“We were three innings in until we started to put our bat on the ball. We have to make sure that we can adjust better to pitching,” said Schafer. “[Davies] threw the other day against Cardinal O’Hara and did an unbelievable job. And Kait [Jaworski] has been doing a great job. But what we have been talking about is that someone has got to be able to pick the other one up if they’re down, and that’s what it’s all about and what we addressed today. Kait knew it, she said ‘Coach I just didn’t have it today,’ because Kait is good, and Lindsey was there to pick her up.”
So far the Bambies have been averaging 7.3 RBI’s per league game. Their single loss this season was against Conwell-Egan. Coach Schafer stated that, over Easter break, the team took a trip down to Myrtle Beach and faced some tough competition, which in turn has helped them overcome difficult league match-ups.
“Our whole philosophy is one game at a time. We don’t want to look past our next opponent. I think our non-league schedule has helped us. We went to Myrtle Beach and played a team that was 21-0…Then we played and beat a team from Cincinnati who had two Division I signees. One of the pitchers that we faced threw 65 mph and is going to Purdue University,” said Schafer. “We try and pack our non-league schedule with the best teams that we can find to get us ready for league games and states if we can get there.”
Looking ahead, the Bambies have a challenging schedule as they host their other Northeast rival, Archbishop Ryan (5-1 PCL) and Archbishop Wood (6-0 PCL) back-to-back. To be successful in their upcoming league games, Iriana explains that the Bambies need to work on a simple fundamental.
“We have to work on hitting. Our fielding is good, our pitching is good,” said Iriana. “We are getting ready for Ryan. Making it to the PCL championship is definitely one of our main goals, getting a plaque – we need that. And hopefully after that, districts and states.”
As for Little Flower, the future is definitely bright. For starters, the team has new head coach Mark Fusetti. Fusetti has spent the last 20 years as a PIAA umpire. He also co-founded the Philadelphia Girls Softball Association (PGSA). While any new coach often comes in with their own set of rules and adjustments, Fusetti made sure to keep Little Flower’s already established group of senior leaders.
St. Hubert's vs. Little Flower (56 Photos)
“When I first came in my message to all of the girls was ‘I don’t know who plays where, I don’t know who was on the team last year, this is going to be a new year and I want to see you all improve,” said Fusetti. “One thing I didn’t change were the captains, Colleen Trahey and Gerri Passalacqua. They are both great leaders, all of the girls look up to them. On the flip side of the coin I have three freshmen playing varsity and three on JV that, in the next two years, we are going to be the team to beat. I’m very confident saying that.”
The three freshmen Fusetti is referring to is Makenzie Paxson, Ginny Britto and Courtney Sherwood. The “Sherwood” name should ring a bell, as Courtney is the younger sister of Tori Sherwood, who was a First Team All-Catholic standout for the Sentinels at first base before taking her talents to St. Thomas Aquinas.
Ginny Britto talks about team improvements going forward for Little Flower
“At any given time, my infield has three freshmen, and they are doing great. They are handling themselves well. It was a tough decision, but I think the experience alone is just going to be tremendous for Little Flower – not only this year, but next year and the year after,” said Fusetti.
The freshmen trio is a budding force on the field for the Sentinels. Britto stated that now that she has earned a starting position, she is eager to make an immediate impact on Little Flower’s varsity squad.
“I wasn’t expecting to make varsity my freshman year and was surprised when I did. I like my teammates a lot and they really help me get better and get used to playing with older girls,” said Britto, who starts at second base. “I start second base, but I also pitch. For me, my goal is to work on my pitching more and try and work my way up to the starting position. I also want our team to come together and mesh on the field.”
Little Flower will take the field again on the road vs. Neumann-Goretti on Thursday at 3:30pm at 10th and Fitzwater Streets in South Philadelphia.