Veteran Softball Team Expecting Strong Season

With eight returning players including six First Team All-Region 19 performers, Head Coach Ryan Zegarski has high expectations.  “Our goal every year is to win the Region Championship.  This team has a chance to be there at the end, we just need to continue to work hard.  We expect to be very competitive every time out and hope to learn and get better along the way.” 

The biggest concern for Zegarski is numbers, as the team has just twelve players.  “With only twelve players we are trying to find a balance between getting our work in and trying to give them some down time so we don’t get some of those nagging injuries.  All twelve players are important. They will all play a lot this year with nine games in six days on our spring break trip and a 49 game regular season schedule.  We have eight sophomores so we are a veteran team with four really talented newcomers.”

One area the Vikings do have depth is on the mound.  The Vikings return All-Region pitcher Gianna Matteo (New Egpyt, NJ/New Egypt) who went 17-2 last season with a 3.66 ERA.  Also returning is Delaney Misier (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) who had 74 strikeouts in 80.1 innings pitched.  These returning pitchers along with freshman Shea Krebs (Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville HS) will split time in the circle. “We will have nice depth in the circle this year with three very capable arms that should be a big benefit to this year’s team.”

The Vikings also return a lot of offense, including the following All-Region performers. Outfielder Mia Land (Hamilton, NJ/Trenton Catholic Academy) was the team leader in batting average (.486), hits (67), doubles (17), triples (5) and stolen bases (a perfect 10 for 10 attempts).  Infielder Lillian Torres-Perez (South Brunswick, NJ/South Brunswick) was the team leader in RBIs with 45 and batted .411 last season.  Outfielder Bella Truelove (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) finished with 43 RBIs and 11 home runs.  Catcher Hailey Nardone (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) had 44 RBIs and a .381 batting average and infielder Julia Hannawacker (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) had 49 hits with a .368 batting average.

Sophomore shortstop Heather Kerlin (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) who hit .306 and had 76 assists last season is another key returner for the Vikings.  Incoming freshman expected to contribute this season include catcher Abigail Bell (Hightstown, NJ/Hightstown), utility player Cierra Acevedo (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West) and infielder Maya Patel (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township HS), a transfer from University of Delaware.

The Vikings open up their season with a 12:00 PM home doubleheader vs Monroe (Bronx) on Saturday, March 4 ^th.  The 49 game regular season ends with a doubleheader at Brookdale on May 4 ^th.  Zegarski is assisted by Tom DeStefano, Alisha Patel and John Simone.

 Sophomore pitcher Gianna DeMatteo

  Sophomore outfielder Mia Land

  Sophomore infielder Lillian Torres-Perez

Sophomore outfielder Bella Truelove