Season preview: Centre County softball teams set their sights on big push in state playoffs
Softball in Centre County is filled with a great deal of competitive programs.
Bald Eagle Area made it to the PIAA Class 3A playoffs last season and look to make a deeper run with the majority of its starters returning to the program. Bellefonte finished with a 20-3 record last season with a District 6 Class 5A championship and sent off a number of seniors to college. Penns Valley has the sharp-swinging Avelyn Van Heyst returning to the infield. Philipsburg-Osceola and State College both look to improve in their coach’s third year at the helm.
Here’s a snapshot look at BEA, Bellefonte, Penns Valley, Philipsburg-Osceola and State College’s softball programs:
Bald Eagle Area
BEA is coming off of a strong season last year, finishing 17-4 in a tough Mountain League slate. The team returns senior pitcher Marina Shawley, who was the Centre Daily Times’ Athlete of the Week for June 7-11, 2021. Shawley had a double in the team’s 4-0 playoff loss to Mount Pleasant in the PIAA Class 3A championships and looks to have a strong finish to her career.
The team also features four other seniors including third baseman Autumn Tobias, shortstop Maddie Perry, pitcher, second baseman Katelyn Smitchko and first baseman Kierra Serb. While head coach Don Lucas sees the youth of his team, which has nine incoming freshmen, he expects his team to do damage with their talent.
“We could possibly be young in some positions, but I believe that as the season evolves, we will play well,” Lucas said. “We are a work in progress. The team has a number of positions with players being very close in ability. This type of competition is healthy and each day they are pushing each other to be better.”
Coach: Don Lucas, 23rd year
Last Year: 17-4
Key Players: Autumn Tobias (3B, senior), Maddie Perry (SS, senior) , Marina Shawley (P, 1B, senior), Katelyn Smitchko (P, 2B, DP, senior), Ava Stere (utility, sophomore), Kierra Serb (1B, senior)
Returning Starters: 6
Next Game: Home vs. Clearfield, Monday at 4:30 p.m.
Bellefonte
Bellefonte is coming off of one of the team’s greatest seasons in school history. The team was loaded with seniors including catcher Maddie Tice, first baseman Makenna Port, third baseman Hanna Lauck, right fielder Lily Gardner, center fielder Sara DeHaas and Centre Daily Times Athlete of the Spring Season pitcher/shortstop Lexi Rogers.
With the loss of a talented group of players who forged their chemistry through years of recreational and travel softball together, head coach Travis Foster looks to accomplish the same with a younger roster. He brings back senior second baseman Tori Reichert, who had a blistering .407 batting average with 24 hits in 59 at-bats.
“Our goals and standards this season haven’t changed,” Foster said. “Every year, talented players graduate, that doesn’t mean we don’t keep a high standard of how we operate day to day. Everyone always asks, ‘How do you replace so and so?’ You don’t. I don’t expect anyone on this year’s roster to be anyone else than who they are.
“As coaches, we give our best to our girls and teach them to the best of our ability. Their job is to work extremely hard to be the best person and player they are capable of, nothing more. The game is tough enough, it will beat you up if you let it, especially in our league. I don’t want our girls to feel that they have any other pressures on them, feeling like they have to be someone else.”
Coach: Travis Foster, fourth year
Last Year: 19-3
Key Players: Tori Reichert: (2B, senior), Madison Melius: (SS, junior), Haylie Rimmey: (OF junior), Josselyn Nau: (P, junior)
Returning Starters: 4
Next Game: @ Huntingdon, Friday at 4:30 p.m.
Philipsburg-Osceola
The Lady Mounties are preparing for battle with a strong slate of players. Logan Cutler had a .379 batting average with three homers and 18 runs batted in. Paige Jarrett returns after batting .328 last season with 12 RBI. Starting catcher Jocelyn Williams, outfielders Emily Herr and Mykenna Bryan could be joined by Ashlynn Havens Natalie Benz or Alivia Bizzarri in the outfield. The team will add in second baseman Camryn Chverchko.
Karissa Taylor had a 9-7 record and 4.36 earned run average last season. P-O’s rotation will include Chverchko, Vaux and the aforementioned Taylor. The team lost standouts Hanna Minarchick (.371 batting average) and Jordan McDonald (.426 batting average) to graduation last season.
Philipsburg-Osceola finished 9-8 last season and lost to Cambria Heights 3-2 in the opening round of the District 6 Class 2A playoffs.
“The thought is that we always believe we can make a run in the states,” Frank said. “You finish in the top two in the district, which is difficult task itself, but if the girls keep doing what they’re doing, I really think we have an opportunity to make a run at states.”
Coach: Steve Frank, third year
Last Year: 9-8
Key Players: Paige Jarrett (senior), Logan Cutler (senior), Karissa Taylor (P, senior), Jocelyn Williams (C, junior), Emily Herr (OF, junior), Mykenna Bryan (3B, junior), Abby Vaux (1B, junior), Daisy Wayland (first-year)
Returning Starters: 7
Next Game: Home vs. Chestnut Ridge, Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
Penns Valley
The Lady Rams have a lightning quick second baseman in the form of sophomore Scotty Dinges. Not only was she a terror on the basepaths with a perfect 10 steals in 10 attempts, but she wielded a strong presence at the plate with a .410 batting average in 61 at-bats. Junior infielder Noelle Webb and junior catcher Ellie Coursen both had strong seasons, with Webb batting .403 (67 at-bats) and Coursen hitting .391 (69 at-bats). Senior infielder Avelyn Van Heyst (.385 batting average in 52 at-bats) and senior first baseman Kailen Winkelblech (.286 in 63 at-bats) will round out their lineup.
Penns Valley has some key newcomers to the team as well. Their first-year players include outfielder Clara Brooks, pitcher and infielder Taylor Bumgardner, outfielder Jozie Reed and pitcher and infielder Hailey Davis. Head coach Terry Bumgardner is the new leader of the program and he looks to have an equally strong season as the one that came before it.
“We are very young but are very talented,” Bumgardner said. “The losses of Allie O’Brien, Kendra Bumgardner and Jordan Anderson are big shoes to fill, however, we have a solid core of players returning this season and some athletic newcomers. Our two senior, 4-year starters, Kailen and Avelyn, have been a great at leading by example. It’s been a shift in culture in a lot of ways and the girls have responded very well.”
Coach: Terry Bumgardner, first year
Last Year: 14-9
Key Players: Avelyn Van Heyst (INF, senior), Kailen Winkelblech (INF, senior), Ellie Coursen (C, junior), Noelle Webb (INF, junior), Scottie Dinges (OF, sophomore)
Returning Starters: 5
Next Game: @ Bellefonte, Monday at 4:30 p.m.
State College
Senior pitcher Zia Bodnar was a second-team Mid Penn All Star and 2021 District 6 All-Star last season. Fellow senior and first baseman Olivia McTavish also was named a 2021 District 6 All-Star. The two, along with senior center fielder Mady Burkey and first-year infielders Sydney Wells and Jess Hawbaker, are expected to be the catalysts of head coach Shawn Herncane’s team.
Bodnar, Ava Babcock, Meredith Meengs, Gabi Todd and Maya Knapp are the team’s returning starters from last season.
“We have a great mix of senior leadership and young talent that will make immediate impacts on the team both offensively and defensively,” Herncane said. “We are loaded with speed and athleticism at the top of lineup. We bring back senior pitcher Zia Bodnar who had 160 strikeouts in the Mid Penn Conference in 2021. Our catching duties will be handled by Ava Babcock, a junior, who is as talented defensively as any catcher in our league. “
Coach: Shawn Herncane, third year
Last Year: 11-9
Key Players: Zia Bodnar (P, senior) Ava Babcock (C, junior), Olivia McTavish (1B, senior), Mady Burkey (CF, senior), Sydney Wells (INF, first-year), Jess Hawbaker (INF, first-year)
Returning Starters: 5
Next Game: @ Red Land, Tuesday at 4:15 p.m.
Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy
Saint Joe’s will not field a team this season for the second season in a row, due to low participation numbers. The program was set to begin in 2020, but was canceled due to COVID-19. Former softball player Katie Pace will play baseball instead this season.
This story was originally published March 31, 2022 at 2:34 PM.
