Geneva returns six starters for the 2017 season, including the dynamic duo of senior captains Lucia Fee (Wampum, PA/Mohawk) and Clara Sevy (Sykesville, MD/Chapelgate Christian). Fee, starting her fourth year as a Golden Tornado starter, returns from a stellar junior campaign where she earned a .325 batting average with 39 hits and a team high of 37 RBIs while earning a .929 fielding percentage from third base. Sevy returns to lead the outfield after a standout 2016 season where she earned a .324 batting average with 34 hits and trails just behind Fee in RBIs with 23.
“Both Lucia and Clara have really grown into the program,” says sixteenth-year Head Coach Van Zanic. “Both of them understand me, understand what Geneva is about, know what our softball program is about so they have been able to take some kids under their wing and lead them along. On the field, they are essential to our success. Clara is moving positions this year. She is going to play left field to take Dayna’s spot there. And Lucia, we are a better team with Lucia as our third baseman. There will be a couple times this year where she will have to move around a little bit; she played shortstop some last year, she may have to catch a little bit this year but we will start with her at third. Lucia will be our three hitter. Clara is going to be our two hitter.
“With Clara hitting two, we have a pair of lefties at the top. Clara is really good with the bat; she can hit behind runners, she can bunt, she can slap so we can create some havoc with those two getting on base and the one behind them driving them in.”
The junior class also brings a lot of talent to the field with returning
Freshman standout Haley Sainato (New Castle, PA/Mohawk) returns for her sophomore campaign as a Golden Tornado. During her freshman campaign Sainato dominated from the batter’s box, earning a
“Haley sets the table for us,” explains
Transfer April Lude (Canfield, OH/Western Reserve) joins the Golden Tornadoes program making an immediate impact claiming shortstop responsibilities explains Zanic. “April is going to make all the routine plays, which is all we ask our shortstops to do. She is athletic and can make plays and has a pop in her bat.”
Two more newcomers will enter the softball pitch for Geneva. Sophomore transfer Casey Farkasovky (Beaver, PA/Beaver) will be the primary glove gracing the pitcher’s mound while freshman Bobbie Ann Theiss (Lisbon, OH/Beaver Local) will provide more depth for the mound.
“We have some talented pitchers,” says Zanic. “Casey had an incredible high school career and we are glad to have her back locally here. She is going to provide us certainly with the pitching depth we need but also a middle of the lineup type of bat that we haven’t had here in a while.
“Bobbie Ann also found great success in high school and gives us an arm from the left side. So she is a lefty, Casey is a righty which gives us a different look this year; we can mix and match compared to past years with only one pitcher. That pitching depth alone will help our overall product as a program.
“Bobbie Ann is also a
After 15 years of coaching Zanic knows exactly what he is looking for in Florida. “Florida, for me, is a time to prepare and find out by the time we get back who we are. This way we can be prepared for the games in the conference. We want to be successful. We have had some great weather this year so this is the most time we have had to practice outside on the dirt before heading down. We try to have a combination of playing good programs and also some that we can find success with. This year, we start out with Dominican, a nationally recognized team. Our goal is always to come back from Florida at .500. It was that way when we were winning 40 games a year and it’s that way now. So, if we can go down there and finish .500 or a little better, we will be in a good place.”
Geneva kicks off the 2017 season with a doubleheader on Monday, March 6 at 9 a.m. starting against Dominican University followed by an 11 a.m. contest vs Swarthmore College.
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