North Allegheny softball hit over .300 as a team last season while facing a steady diet of dominant all-state pitchers.
Second-year coach Bill Aguglia believes the Tigers can do a whole lot better this season.
“Hitting is going to be the key,” he said.
“I didn’t feel we hit really good as a team last year. We took a little different approach this offseason, and we’re hoping it pays off. We stripped it down to the studs and started over with technique and different drills to try to clean up some stuff.”
Six returning starters, led by a pair of first-team all- WPIAL Class 6A juniors, combined with a strong offseason in the batting cages and proven team defense gives North Allegheny high hopes heading into this spring.
“We worked a lot on the little things, starting with a bunch of new (batting) drills,” said junior Leah Carlson, a second-team all-state center fielder who hit .421 last season.
“We got down to the nitty-gritty, and I think that really paid off.”
North Allegheny finished 13-8 last season, losing to No. 6 seed Norwin, 2-1, in nine innings in the opening round of the WPIAL Class 6A playoffs.
While the Tigers have some uncertainty at pitcher with the graduation of three-year starter Sammy Plotsko, they are looking to reach the WPIAL playoffs for the 26th consecutive season.
“I’m excited,” said junior Zoe Rychel, who hit a team-best .438 last season and is making the switch from second base to shortstop.
“I think we have really good potential to go far. We have a good chance to really battle.”
North Allegheny committed only 19 errors last season — fewer than one a game — and had a sparkling team fielding percentage of .958.
The Tigers needed to be steady in the field.
One-third of their 18 regular-season games were against teams with all-state pitchers, including four WPIAL Class 6A games against Seneca Valley’s Lexie Hames (Clemson) and Hempfield’s Riley Miller (Kent State).
But those two aces are gone, and while Aguglia insists the two powerhouses won’t take a step back — “that’s just not the way those programs operate” — North Allegheny will likely face less pressure at the plate.
The Tigers are a combined 2-15 in the past four seasons against section foes Seneca Valley and Hempfield and have lost eight in a row to Seneca Valley dating to April 2022.
“As far as I’m concerned,” Aguglia said, “we have something to prove.”
Added Rychel: “I’m excited to see all of the new girls that come up from other schools and play against them. I am very excited to see what we can do.”
Other returning starters are senior third baseman Erin Fadgen, junior first baseman Taylor Condiotte, junior Twila Goulding, who is moving from right field to second base, and sophomore catcher Alison Friend, who hit .311 and made only one error during a breakthrough debut season.
Senior left fielder Hayden Robinson returns after missing last season, and a pair of freshmen, Blake Hornyak and Lola Rocco, are auditioning for the starting job in right field.
Sophomore Cailyn Wateska replaces Plotsko in the circle for the Tigers, who open the season March 19 at Shaler and all-state senior pitcher Bria Bosiljevac.
The hard-throwing 5-foot-8 Wateska struggled during her brief varsity action last season — posting an 8.91 ERA with 29 baserunners in 11 innings — but she gained confidence during a solid offseason.
Wateska will work in front of a smooth, sure-handed defense. Rychel committed one error last season with a .984 fielding percentage.
Condiotte fielded at a .962 clip at first, and Goulding — albeit switching positions this year — was error-free in the outfield. Fagden had a .905 fielding percentage at third.
“I think our defense is the best thing about us,” Carlson said.
“I think we have one of the strongest defenses in the WPIAL.”