Bethel Park adjusting to new softball season
Through 13 years of managing softball, Heather Semplice-Scott has gained plenty of wisdom.
“You have to learn to adjust year in and year out. Stay positive and be patient,” Semplice-Scott said.
That coaching philosophy will come in handy this spring as Semplice-Scott attempts to rebuild a Bethel Park team depleted of experience. The Lady Hawks graduated eight starters from last year’s WPIAL championship club. BP finished 18-1 overall after a 4-1 loss to Penn Manor in the first round of the PIAA tournament.
Playing at Ohio State is shortstop Reagan Milliken. BP’s leading hitter batted .660 with 11 home runs and 37 RBI. Center fielder Lauren Caye is now at Seton Hall and first baseman Gianna Sciullo is currently at Georgetown. Pitching ace Delaney Nagy is in the circle for the University of Connecticut.
While BP must also fill gaps at third base, in the outfield and at the designated hitter slot, but the Lady Hawks return four veteran starters.
Sandra Soltes carried a big stick for BP, especially during the district final. In a 9-2 win against Canon-McMillan, she drove in eight runs and socked two home runs, including a grand slam. She was 3-for-4 at the plate and scored three times.
A Pitt recruit, Soltes batted .500 with eight round trippers last spring. She is BP’s starting catcher.
Outfielder Ali Sniegocki and infielders Abby Quickel and Delaney Sierka are BP’s other veteran anchors. Like Soltes, all were all-section performers last year. Quickel is a Robert Morris commit while Sniegocki is a Holy Cross recruit. Sierka will play at Penn State-New Kensington.
Savana Knauff is expected to fill a vacancy in the outfield. She is a sophomore, like Lupe McElvenny, a utility player, who is also expected to make an impact this spring.
Sophomores Alayna Owen, Makenzie Wade and Belinda Bova look to fill the void in the circle.
While BP has a huge freshman class featuring Audrey Campbell, Taylor Striegel, Kamiya Martin, Allison Jones, Nina DePasquale and Rylee Rocco, they will also rely on seniors like Anna Levis and Bella Pusateri for additional leadership.
Sophomores Nicolette Antonucci, Julia Miller, Becky Gillenberger, Madison Kristoback and Lily Spence as well as junior Victoria DePasquale also add depth and talent to the BP roster.
“We have strong senior leadership and we have been working hard on all aspects of our game. Putting in the extra time and continuing to work hard will help make us a successful team,” Semplice-Scott said.
“Our goals are to earn a spot in the playoffs. Our expectations are to be competitive like we have been in the past few years,” she added.
Because of competitive balance, it has been difficult for BP to dominate the league. While they have qualified for the playoffs for the past seven years, they hadn’t won a WPIAL title until 2021. The Black Hawks were district semifinalists four times.
“Our section is one of the most competitive sections year in and out. All the teams work hard and are always battling for that playoff position,” Semplice-Scott said.