Women’s softball team splits doubleheader

ELIZABETH BRACHELLI ASST MANAGING EDITOR EAB722@CABRINI EDU

The Cabrini Cavalier softball team banged out a doubleheader against Alvernia College while hosting on March 24, with a 4-0 loss in the first game, but they came back in the second game and rocked an 8-3 victory

The Lady Cavaliers struggled in the first game with Alvernia, getting two unearned runs in the second inning. The two runs were later tacked on in the seventh inning by a two-run hit by Danielle Machamer, first baseman of Alvernia. Kristie Sandefur, a freshman psychology major and third baseman for the lady Cavaliers, was left stranded on third base in both the second and fourth innings.

Andrea Mory, a freshman marketing major and catcher for the Lady Cavaliers, said, “We were really disappointed that we let them take one game from us. We knew that we had to find some spark that would create some more offense and get the win.”

Cabrini came back stronger in the second game with a rocky start. The Cavaliers were down 3-0 in the third inning. Bernadette Dolan, a freshman secndary education major and pitcher, entered the game in relief for junior Kim Fox. Dolan had only three hits off of her in just as many innings. Dolan stepped up after Machamer hit a three-run homer It was the second homerun that day for Machamer

In the third inning, Cabrini came back into the game by loading the bases with base hits. Brittany Shields, a freshman elementary education major, singled with a bunt right. Shields’bunt was followed by a walk from junior exercise science major Jen Euganeo. Then, Jen Taggart, a senior bussiness administration major, singled to the short-stop.

Caitlin McDevitt, a freshman and execise science major, then stepped up to bat, after Alvernia’s pitching change, to hit a grounder that went through the third baseman’s legs for a two-run error.

The game was later set by Megan O’Brien, a junior education major. Mory said, “Megan just made the most damages. She led by example hitting a grand slam and pretty much set the tone for us.”

O’Brien stepped up to bat, hitting a game, tying double, that was followed by a single hit by Sandefur into centerfield. Then, Andrea singled to left center, bringing O’Brien home, putting Cabrini on top of the game at 4-3. Jess Wolfert, a freshman, brought the inning to an end by striking out.

In the fourth inning, Cabrini started off with a single to left field from junior Lisa Hetke. Shields had an infield hit, and Euganeo bunted before O’Brien came up to bat. O’Brien hit a grand-slam, keeping a promising win for the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers are now 4-11 overall and 3-3 in the Pennsylvania’s Athletic Conference.

Kristie Sandefur, a freshman psychology major, said, “I think the rest of our season is looking really good. We have great leadership from our captains and upper-classmen, and our freshmen are doing a really nice job, both offensively and defensively.”

The Cabrini baseball club will be stepping up to the plate for their second year as a team. Led by their new coach, Will Harmon, class of ’05, the boys have high hopes for the new season.

The team is setting up scrimmages to get ready for the upcoming season against Villanova University and Chestnut Hill College. Their first game will be against Villanova’s club baseball team on April 1.

The team hopes to also set up games not only against other schools, but also against the teams they played in the adult league this past fall.

Eight players from last year’s season returned to play for another year. Though losing some players due to graduation, the team has gained many freshmen that through the year continue to show their strength and their heart in the game.

“We lost a few seniors last year, but we are so much stronger this year with the freshmen class we have,” Hadi Adam Poresky, a sophomore psychology major and club president, said. “Doug Will, our starting pitcher, has a rubber arm, and Billy Bacovin can play just about every position. All of [the freshmen] have brought a lot of heart and a new spirit of competitiveness to the team,” Poresky said.

“We have grown together as a team more than any of us could have imagined this year. We are the new stir on campus,” Anthony Vellutato, a sophomore graphic design major and outfielder, captain and vice-president of the club, said.

The boys tried to push to become members of the National Club Baseball Association for the spring season, but things didn’t turn out the way they had hoped. The team is hoping that they become members next season. Vellutato said, “The captains

With their new coach, the team feels unified, as if a weight has been lifted off of their shoulders. Poresky, along with Vellutato and Mark Tripolitsiotis, a senior educational studies major and second basemen and captain of the team, has led the team for the past year before Harmon took over as coach.

“He’s taken a lot of pressure off me, Trips and Ant. He decides the lineups, has all our practices planned and is an overall great leader,” Poresky said.

“Our coach, Will Harmon, has improved our endurance greatly. Having someone other than captains push the team is always beneficial. He brings a sense of balance that we did not have in the fall or last year,” Vellutato added.

“We raised money with a baseball dance and a calendar should be on sale sometime this spring and next year We have many expenses, such as travel, equipment, dues and other fees, which continually are fronted by players, donations from the college’s clubs and recreation organization, Student Government Association, parents and fundraisers. Our goals in the grand scheme are to grow into a successful program that Cabrini students and faculty can enjoy and be proud of,” Vellutato said.

The team is looking forward to a great season and can’t wait to get underway with their hopeful triumph. With the hard practices they are enduring, they hope to have a very fulfilling season.

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