History of Lady Mustang Softball

1 9 8 1

From an e-mail I received from Patricia Allen
 My name is Patty Allen (maiden name Sutton).  I was the starting softball pitcher for the Plum Mustangs back in 1981, earning MVP my senior year.  If I recall there were a few pitching records I set and was just curious if any of those records still hold and if not, can you tell me for how long they were held in my name?

Fast pitch wasn't as fast....all that the Rec program had was slow pitch, so we learned from the coach and other upper class players.  We only had one team, no JV or 9th grade.  9th grade was actually still in the Junior High back then.  I didn't do a windmill....There actually weren't too many girls that did windmills back then.

Some of the players I remember are below, keeping in mind they are all probably married now with different names.  I live in Baltimore.  I'm pretty sure Sue Risher still lives in the area and possibly Michelle Sacco... I know she's married, but I forget her married name.  Pretty sure she married a classmate.

Ask Bill Rometo about us...I think we were the last team he coached before he moved onto football.  We had a blast our senior year....brings back many good memories and lots of smiles!!   If you have access to the old yearbooks you should look us up.  And if you have access to the old stats I'd be interested in seeing those too!  I do come back to the area pretty often, as I still have family there...If I have the opporutnity I'll try to stop by and see a game.

Sue Martin (married: Risher), Terri Trumble, Jodi Raschiatore, Michelle Sacco, Renee Gonzalez, Renee Ciccone, Sue Qualley,

2 0 0 4
The varsity team, coached by Erica Exler finished 5 - 5 in section play, and 8 - 9 overall.
2 0 0 5
The varsity team, coached by Jay Marston finished 6 - 4 in section play, and 9 - 10 overall.   Members of the team include freshman Lauren McGrath, sophomore Lauren Rupert, juniors Shannon Bradburn, Kaila Burns, Janna Zummo, Erin Adams, Val Dern, Kristi Konkus, seniors: Rachel Risbon, Ali Carr, Bethany Rupert, Alexa Yamnitzky, and Erin McGrath.
2 0 0 6
This was the first year for the freshman team.   Jim McGrath coached the team with players: Ashley Adamski, Breanna Cass, Sami Crankshaw, Amanda Dargay, Kris DiDiano Amanda LeClair, Ashley Lovas, Christy Pastucha, Tiffany Ralston, Breanne Rings, Shannon Ritchey. The first year team went 7 - 8.

The varsity team, coached by Jay Marston finished 6 - 4 in section play, and 11 - 10 overall .   Members of the team include freshman Nina Donatucci, sophomores: Lauren McGrath, Julie DiLonardo; juniors: Gianina Romito, April Meli, Lauren Rupert; seniors: Shannon Bradburn, Kaila Burns, Janna Zummo, Erin Adams, Val Dern, and Kristi Konkus.

2 0 0 7
Varsity team included: Jay Marston (head coach), assistant coaches Tim McCann and Erica Exler; Players: Sara Daugherty, Julie DiLonardo, Celeste Donatucci, Nina Donatucci, Lexi Gryzbek, Nicci Guido, Courtney Keene, Lauren McCann, Lauren McGrath, April Meli, Jen Miller, Gianinna Romito, Laura Rosko, Lauren Ruppert, Sharon Witas.

Junior Varsity team, coached by Kevin Stark.  Players included: Ashley Adamski, Breana Cass, Nicole Comunale, Sami Crankshaw, Amanda Dargay, Kris DiDiano, Casey Garrity, Katie Lazar, Amanda LeClair, Ashley Lovas, Christy Pastucha, Tiffany Ralston, Shannon Ritchie and Breanne Rings

2nd year for the freshman team, which finished 8 - 7.   Players included: Tina Caruso, Mary Cranshaw, Alexis DeShong, Caitlin Fratangelo, Sami Heinzl, Kristy Lagnese, Rachel Lee, Sara McCarthy, Shannon McClintock, Patyn McCune, Billi Marie Meli, Bailey Rings, Dina Silvis, and Sami Valimont.

2 0 0 8
The team, coached by Jim McGrath, Kevin Stark & Tim McCann, finished just short of a playoff spot.  Seniors: Julie DiLonardo (pitcher), Lauren McCann (1st base), Lauren McGrath (2nd base), Laura Rosko (right field/DP).   Juniors: Sami Crankshaw (left field), Nina Donatucci (catcher), Casey Garrity (3rd base), Nicci Guido (short stop), Courtney Keene (center field), Ashley Lovas (outfield), Breanne Rings (outfield).  Sophomores: Alexis DeShong (outfielder), Kristy Lagnese (outfielder), and Bailey Rings (outfielder/DP).  Freshman: Athena Kaufman (pitcher).  The team finished 8 wins 7 losses.

The Junior Varsity squad, coached by Jason Cooper with players: Tina Caruso, Mary Crankshaw, Amanda Dargay, Alexis DeShong, Caitlin Fratangelo, Samantha Heinzl, Kelsie Kirchartz, Katie Lazar, Amanda LeClair, Rachel Lee, Sara McCarthy, Christy Pastucha.

The Freshman squad, coached by Samor Himes and Phil DiLonardo included players: Chelsea Bergamasco, Madison Butler, Amy Colalella, Shannon Dern, Chelsea Getsy, Sarah Jolly, Margo Laboon, Ashley Mitchell, Alysa Pivik, Kristin Rebel, Marissa Walkup, Addy Wilshire, Michaela Zanotelli.

2 0 0 9
The varsity team, coached by Jim McGrath & Kevin Stark,  won the section champion title, and the first time in Plum history that the softball team was the sole champions.  Seven (7) seniors competed on the team: Sami Crankshaw (1st base), Nina Donatucci (catcher), Casey Garrity (3rd base), Nicci Guido (short stop), Courtney Keene (center field), Christy Pastucha (DP), Breanne Rings (left field).  Juniors: Alexis DeShong (right field), Kristy Lagnese (2nd base), Rachel Lee (pinch runner), Sophomore: Athena Kaufman (pitcher), and Freshman: Hunter DeShong and Megan Mariani.   The team finished 10 - 2 in section play.

The Junior Varsity Squad, coached by Amanda Churchfield (Kopec) and Brianne Brown with players: Madison Butler, Kaitlin Cliber, Chelsea Getsy, Samantha Heinzl, Sarah Jolly, Katie Lazar, Sara McCarthy, Jennifer Murphy, Alysa Pivik, Bailey Rings, Marissa Walkup, Addy Wilshire.

This was also the first Junior High squad coached by Kate Meade and Phil DiLonardo.   Players include Sami Billstone, Taylor Cestra, Sabrina Ferguson, Lyndi Gareis, Taylor Johns, Heather Jo Kosmack, Melissa LeClair, Ashley Oravetz, Stella Pratt, Megan Scott, Jordan Seneca, Karlie Serakowski, Cassidy Sloan, Annie Workman.   As a result of gaining a Junior High Team, we gave up the Freshman team

2 0 1 0
The varsity team, coached by Jim McGrath, Kevin Stark and Phil DiLonardo finished 2nd in Section 2 AAAA, with an overall record of 11-8 and 9 - 2 in section play.  The highlight of the season was defeating McKeesport 7 - 3 to give them their only section loss.   Players include Madison Butler, Kate Cliber, Shannon Dern, Hunter DeShong, Samantha Heinzl, Taylor Johns, Athena Kaufman, Kristy Lagnese, Katie Lazar, Rachel Lee, Megan Mariani, Sara McCarthy, and Bailey Rings.

The Junior Varsity team finished their season with an overall record of 8 - 3, with the Junior High team finishing their season with an overall record of 13-1.  The Junior Varsity team was coached by Tina Fluent, with assistants Amanda Churchfield, Brianne Brown and Kasey Poorman.   The Junior High team coached by 2nd year coach Kate Meade, and assistant Kayla Kober.

Junior Varsity players include: Taylor Cestra, Regan Donatelli, Lyndi Gareis, Sarah Jolly, Jennifer Murphy, Allison Pietryga, Alysa Pivik, Megan Scott, Addy Wilshire, Annie Workman, and Michaela Zanotelli.

The Junior High players include: Rachael Adamski, Sam Billstone, Jessica Bitsura, Gabrielle Kadlecik, Melissa LeClair, Kaitlyn Mallik, Ashley Oravetz, Stella Pratt, Christina Risbon, Jordan Seneca, Karlie Serakowski, and Erin Shepherd.

2 0 1 1
VARSITY: The varsity team, coached by fifth year varsity coach Jim McGrath, along with assistant coach Phil DiLonardo, finished 2nd in Section 2 AAAA, with an overall record of 12 wins, 6 losses.   In section play we won 10 games, losing only 2.

Last year, 2010, we scored 127 runs in 19 games, averaging almost 7 runs per game, with 179 total hits.  This year we score 149 runs 18 games, averaging 8 runs per game with 189 hits.   In the last 9 games of our regular season we scored an average of 11 runs per game.

The Plum varsity team made it to the playoffs the last three years in a row, and missed being section champs this year by only 7 runs.

Team leaders in batting averages: Athena Kaufman (.568); Jordan Seneca (.523); Megan Mariani (.426); Hunter DeShong (.390); and Taylor Johns (.379).    RBI Leaders: Taylor Johns (39); Athena Kaufman (21); Jordan Seneca (19); Hunter DeShong (15); Megan Mariani (14); Melissa LeClair (13).   Home Run hitters: Taylor Johns (4); Hunter DeShong (3).

Varsity Team consisted of: Seniors: Maddi Butler, Athena Kaufman, Alysa Pivik, Addy Wilshire; Juniors: Kaitlin Cliber, Hunter DeShong and Megan Mariani; Sophomores: Lyndi Gareis, Taylor Johns and Annie Workman; Freshman: Melissa LeClair, Ashley Oravetz, Stella Pratt and Jordan Seneca.

JUNIOR VARSITY: The Junior Varsity Squad, coached by Jen Cardinale, and assistant coach, Sami Crankshaw, consisted of Seniors: Erika Ohinata and Sofie Hermann, Junior: Jen Murphy; Sophomores: Amy Flynn, Allison Pietryga, Christina Risbon, Sarah Rumcik, Megan Scott, Amber Shields, Jessica Snyder and Alyssa Stonebraker; Freshman: Sam Billstone, Sydney Grieco and Gabrielle Kadlecik.

Team leaders in batting averages: Sam Billstone (.600); Sarah Rumcik (.474); Lyndi Gareis (.400); Alyssa Stonebraker (.400); Megan Scott (.375); Gabrielle Kadlecik (.333); and Amy Flynn (.333).   RBI leaders: Alyssa Stonebraker (3); Sam Billstone, Lyndi Gareis and Tina Risbon (1 each).   Home Run hitters: Gabrielle Kadlecik (1).

JUNIOR HIGH: The Junior High Squad, coached by Tim Clark and assistant coach Greg Bitsura, consisted of: 8th Graders: Rachel Adamski, Jessica Bitsura, Marietta Kocher, Kaitlyn Mallik, Heidi Vizino and Tytaeonya Williams; 7th Graders: Hannah Adamski, Morgan Booker, Madison Cheripka, Rebecca Lee, Jessica Lloyd, Annie Monfredi, and Savannah Schreckengost.

Team Leader in batting averages: Rachel Adamski (.559); Kaitlyn Mallik (.548); Jessica Bitsura (.500); Tytaeonya Williams (.447); Jessica Lloyd (.395); Hannah Adamski (.365).   RBI Leaders: Jessica Bitsura (28); Rachael Adamski (24); Tytaeonya Williams (18); Kaitlyn Mallik (17); Rebecca Lee (11) and Annie Monfredi (8).   Home Run hitters: Rachael Adamski and Kaitlyn Mallik (2 each).