St. Joseph’s Softball Preview 2008
Mix of Veterans and Talented Newcomers Have Eagles Ready for Skyline Title Run

February 28, 2008

Patchogue, NY - The Golden Eagle Softball team once again have their sights set on capturing the 2008 Skyline Conference Championship, which will earn them an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.  The 2007 team finished with an overall record of 23-11 and a Skyline record of 13-3 - earning them the number two seed in the Skyline Tournament.  With a defeat in the Skyline Championship game, the goals have been set for this year’s squad.  Head coach Al Sciangula’s team was nationally ranked by the NCAA in multiple statistical categories in ’07, and was selected by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association as an All–Academic Team with a GPA of 3.203 (56th nationally).

The 2008 Golden Eagles are led by Sciangula and assistant Fred Cohen, both in their fourth season, and assistant Tony Musso, entering his second season.  The staff is very optimistic and has lofty expectations for the ’08 campaign, with eleven returnees and seven talented newcomers.

Captains Jennifer Martinez, Elyse Quirk and Sabina Wright, now seniors, will once again lead this year’s squad.  These three, along with the remaining team veterans, should impart their leadership, knowledge and discipline to the newcomers.

The 2008 pitching staff is again led by Martinez, who is coming off another NCAA record-breaking season in which she tied her own mark of 21 strikeouts in a game and - for the second straight season - was the NCAA Division III statistical champion in strikeout ratio (14.6) and ERA (0.55).  Wright, junior Julie Cincotta and sophomore transfer Alana Buckley will join her in the circle this year.

Of the seven new players, five are freshman - Maria Barbuto, Terri Leonard, Amanda Macaluso, Erica Stark and transfer Denise Sciangula – and two are sophomore transfers – Alana Buckley and Suzanne Milani.  Barbuto, a catcher, will see plenty of action behind the plate.  Macaluso, Milani and Sciangula will be used in the infield, leaving Buckley, Leonard and Stark to roam the outfield.  All seven are very talented, can play multiple positions and will contribute heavily to the offense.  According to Coach Sciangula, “All seven should play a major role on this year’s team.”

Along with Barbuto, junior Jennifer Vosilla and Julie Cincotta will be doing the bulk of the catching behind the plate.  This combination should make the team very strong defensively and very potent offensively.

The infield features returning seniors Sabina Wright, Kaitlin Schamberger and Michelle Nardella joined by sophomores Natalie Czelowalnik and Caitlin Forbes.  Additions to the infield corps are Macaluso, Milani and Sciangula.  This should make for a very tight defensive infield, as well supply the squad with some talented offensive weapons.

Returning in the outfield are seniors Allyson Frisina and Elyse Quirk, and junior Brooke Sole.  This group will be joined by newcomers Buckley, Leonard and Stark to provide a talented outfield and some powerful offensive punch.