Geraci breaks two RBI program records.
By Mike Miazga
Correspondent
While the Fenton softball team lost 6-2 to Richmond-Burton in a Class 3A regional game, it produced numerous highlights.
Pitcher Taylor Spizzirri threw only 57 pitches in her six innings of work. She was aided by the Bison turning three double plays on defense. Freshman Ashley Milano singled in her first regional at-bat.
“We had one inning where they scored four runs,” said Fenton coach Dave Mello. “As always though, we put up a great fight in the state tournament.”
Fenton finishes the season with a 13-23 overall mark and went 1-11 in Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division play.
Jenna Geraci led the team in hitting with a .388 batting average. Geraci and teammate Isa Lozada tied for the team lead in hits with 40 each. Geraci led the team in doubles with 11 and triples with five. She shared the team lead in homers with Lozada with two.
Geraci also broke the school single-season record for RBI with 55. Lozada led the team in runs scored with 42. Dorothy Novello also set a school single-season record for walks with 34.
In addition to breaking the school single-season record for RBI, Geraci also is the owner of the program’s career RBI mark with 144.
Mello was thrilled with the progress his team made at the plate. “We improved at putting the ball in play,” he said. “Our average finished at an even .300 and we were well under .200 in mid-April.”
And the team took things to the next level on defense. “As evidenced by our three double plays in the regional, we started to play really clean defense,” said Mello.
Fenton also was bolstered by depth in the pitching department. “All our pitchers did what we asked them to do,” said Mello. “We had five different pitchers earn wins for us, which I’m guessing is not that common in high-school softball.”
Mello was a big fan of the team’s competitive spirit throughout the season. “The biggest strides we made was just our overall level of competing,” he said. “This group really battled in just about every game it played. We received many compliments from other coaches about how much we competed.”
Mello tipped his hat to the team’s graduated seniors. “I am most proud that this team was a true team and they had lots of fun while playing,” he said. “The graduating seniors have raised the expectations for us moving forward.”
Geraci and Lozada earned spots on the all-MSC Blue Division team.
