Mind over matter: Norwin softball sharpens mental game with hope of contending

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, March 20, 2018 | 5:06 PM

Previous Next

Previous Next

Sharpen your pencils. It's softball time again in North Huntingdon.

To cue the start of a new season under fourth-year coach Brian Mesich, Norwin players were greeted with an eight-page, “softball IQ test.”

The exam consists of 80 detailed and painstakingly thought-out questions — from situational strategies, to field dimensions, to at-bat scenarios — and are presented in rapid succession in true-and-false, multiple-choice and diagram forms.

If softball had an SAT, this would be it.

Mesich thinks his players' on-paper knowledge of the game is just as important as their on-field execution of it.

“I'm a nontraditional coach,” said Mesich, an anatomy teacher and certified athletic trainer at Norwin. “Softball is played between the ears.”

Norwin has the returning talent to put some of the Section 2-6A contenders to the test.

A youthful team is a year older — and wiser, by the looks of test results.

Four starters and 11 letterwinners return from a team that finished 8-9 and lost to Shaler in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs. Norwin had not been to the playoffs since 2014.

The Knights were third in Section 2 behind WPIAL and PIAA champion Hempfield and WPIAL runner-up Latrobe.

“We have a number of girls back who can play multiple positions,” Mesich said. “We really need to get out and see where everybody goes. We really have position flexibility, and I think defense will be our strength. We should be able to put the ball in play consistently.”

While the IQ test is so filled with copy there is barely room in the margins for sketching, Mesich pulls out a blank piece of paper when asked about a lineup.

“This is my batting order right now,” he said. “We have a nice mix, but we have to figure out where to plug people in yet.”

Mesich needs no multiple choice when it comes to his main pitcher.

Senior Natalie Krzywiec returns after sharing time last season with Danielle Chorba. Krzywiec, a Dickinson recruit, went 3-6 with 31 strikeouts.

“It's on her shoulders,” Mesich said of the pitching duties. “You have to have pitching to compete. Look at Hempfield.

“We need to make the routine plays to keep us in games. The simple things are very important. That's what hurt us in some games last year.”

Junior catcher Sara Russell will be the leader behind the plate. She recently committed to IUP.

A key run-producer is expected to be junior shortstop Hailee Culbertson, whom Mesich calls “a beast” offensively.

“She has the tools,” he said. “She has all-out drive.”

Senior Megan Miller is a Seton Hill recruit. Sophomore outfielder Victoria Shimko also is back after hitting better than .500 and belting seven home runs last season.

Junior Alexandra Brentzel and sophomore Alexandra Dillner also return from last year's outfield.

The return of senior Shaelyn Gillham also could bolster the lineup. The Chatham recruit moved back from Kentucky and brought a strong hitting reputation with her.

Mesich pointed out a number of “utility” players, including Brentzel, sophomore Carly Cook and sophomore Leah Yoder.

At a time when teams use multiple pitchers, Mesich said freshman Syndey Lokay and junior Emily Blosser also could see time in the circle.

Norwin practiced on its field Monday, just the second time it has been outside since practice started.

There weren't any weather-related questions on the test. That is a conundrum for WPIAL spring sports every year.

“At least we beat the snow,” Mesich said.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Norwin