Special group leaves South Fayette softball on upswing

By: Nathan Smith
Thursday, May 23, 2019 | 9:02 PM

The senior players of the South Fayette softball team made sure to leave a lasting impression on the program.

A year removed from a 7-12 season that saw the team miss the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2013, the seniors rallied the Lions for a return to the postseason.

“They were great,” South Fayette coach Olet Stasko said. “We had eight seniors, four of which were starters. But I can’t discount anyone because this was a group effort. They took charge at practice and said, ‘We’re going to get this done.’

“They had a great attitude. This will be a hard group to replace.”

This senior class was particularly special for Stasko. This was the first group she coached from freshmen to seniors during her tenure as South Fayette softball coach.

“I told them numerous times how special of a group they were for me,” said Stasko, who has led South Fayette to the WPIAL playoffs in three of her four seasons as coach. “They were the first group I was able to watch grow and mature from freshmen to seniors. It was really something special to witness.”

The Lions saw their season come to a close in the opening round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs on May 14. South Fayette fell to Albert Gallatin, 2-0. The Colonials took the lead in the top of the third inning after scoring a pair of runs. Senior pitcher Mara Iagnemma gave up five hits with three strikeouts and one walk in the season-ender.

The Lions finished the season 11-8 overall.

South Fayette ended the section slate winning four of five games to clinch a playoff berth. The streak included wins over West Allegheny, which reached the WPIAL semifinals, and Trinity, which lost in the quarterfinals.

Iagnemma was a big part of the team’s success. The senior pitcher who will play at Point Park finished the year with 74 strikeouts. Iagnemma was a Section 3-5A first-team selection.

“She set the tone,” Stasko said. “When she stepped on the mound, the girls had her back. She knew she just had to make the other team hit. She took it a step further.”

Iagnemma wasn’t the only Lion to receive all-section honors. Junior outfielder Ashley Micholas also was named to the first team. Two seniors made the second team: infielders Lexi Yates and Liv Goerdt.

Other members of the senior class included Brooke Bushmire, Sydney Kormick, Sarah Kuklinski, Chaylise Oden and Emma Neel.

“Losing the senior class will be hard,” Stasko said. “They all brought something to the plate — if not on the field, then off the field. But I think the junior class will be ready to step up and do it. We do have several players who got at-bats and innings under their belts. I think that will help them be ready to fill some big shoes.”

Tags: South Fayette