St. Joseph softball team will rely on players’ ability to play multiple positions

By: Bill Hartlep
Tuesday, March 22, 2022 | 6:24 PM

Position flexibility is key for any softball team but even moreso for those in Class A.

St. Joseph enters the 2022 season with 12 players on its roster and just one senior.

Though the small roster might provide some challenges, it also will offer opportunities for players to show their skills at multiple positions, sometimes in the same game.

“We have a lot of people in flux and who can fill gaps in certain areas,” coach Alan Swanson said.

Swanson’s daughter, Stella, the team’s captain and lone senior, will be one of those players in flux. She will see time at shortstop, pitcher and catcher. She was an all-section selection last year after batting .407.

“She has to step up the leadership side of things and be in the role to get some guidance to the younger players,” Coach Swanson said. “She has the experience. She’s been around. She is a senior. Hopefully, she can come through and not put so much pressure on herself since she is the lone senior. If she can play within her capabilities, she’ll be just fine.”

Stella Swanson is one of six returning starters. She will share pitching duties with sophomore Jamie Noonan, who struck out 84 last season.

“I will rely on whoever who can throw the most amount of strikes, whoever has the hot hand,” said Coach Swanson, who also mentioned getting innings for freshman Violet Hill in the circle.

Also back is sophomore infielder/outfielder Julie Spinelli, who hit .361 last season and was an all-section selection in center field.

“If she can make as much of an improvement as she did from the beginning of workouts last year to the end of the year, even half of that, she will be very good,” Coach Swanson said, citing her ability to play shortstop and first base along with center field.

Sophomores Kalyda O’Connor (catcher, third base), Anna Kreinbrook (first base, left field) and Ashley Vrscak (second base, outfield) also return to the starting lineup. And St. Joseph welcomes junior first baseman/outfielder Taylor Hunkele, a transfer student who is a travel softball player. Juniors Cassidy Safran and Justine Spinelli, sophomore Maria Kuhns and freshman Emma Blackburn also are expected to contribute.

“If they develop as much as they did last year — we had a lot of freshmen last year — I’ll be very happily surprised,” Coach Swanson said. “They made a lot of progress last year.”

St. Joseph finished 6-10 overall and 4-6 in section play last season and lost to Mapletown, 12-0, in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs.

The Spartans again will play in Section 3-A with Ellis School, Leechburg, Northgate, Riverview and Springdale. Leechburg was 9-1 and Springdale 8-1 in section play last season.

“I just want to have everybody improve from last year,” Coach Swanson said. “If we can do that, I think we can surprise ourselves with what we are capable of doing. We showed flashes last year. If we can be more consistent all the way through (we will be good).

“We are in a very tough section with both Leechburg and Springdale. I’m certain of that because they have the pitching, and pitching is the key thing for softball.”

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: St. Joseph