S. Jersey Softball Players to Watch

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In alphabetical order.

Sam Barna, Pennsville, senior. A three-year starter who has played in the outfield and infield, she will be at third base this season. Barna hits in the fifth spot in the order, from which she batted .300 last season and drove in 10 runs.

Sam Bryszewski, Gloucester City, senior. After splitting duty on the mound the last two seasons, this Carpenter Cup pitcher has moved to No. 1. Bryszewski hurled four shutouts last season, struck out 45, and had a 2.13 ERA on the way to an 11-0 record.

Alexis Fair, Gloucester County Institute of Technology, junior. A catcher for her first two years of varsity play, the versatile player will move to center field to fill a vacancy left by graduation. Fair, who batted .370 last season, has great speed that will assist her as a leadoff hitter.

Dominique Ficara, Kingsway, senior. The Dragons' No. 1 pitcher, she had a 20-5 record last season with an ERA of 1.63 and 138 strikeouts. As a sophomore, Ficara had a 19-4 record and 161 Ks. She also hit .310 last season.

Lauren Gaskill, Rancocas Valley, senior. Last season's Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year, the shortstop had 95 putouts and batted .692, including seven doubles, eight triples, and 10 home runs. The Virginia Tech-bound senior also stole 21 bases and had an on-base percentage of .721.

Shayla Giosia, Gloucester Catholic, senior. An Inquirer all-South Jersey first-team infielder last season, she led the Non-Public B state champion in hitting with a .500 average, including eight doubles, four triples, and four home runs. Giosia, who stole 29 bases, will be a shortstop and pitcher.

Clarissa Hayes, Sacred Heart, senior. The Lions' cleanup hitter for the last two years, she batted .385 with 35 RBIs last season. A first baseman, Hayes also will be the backup pitcher.

Ryan Hynds, Gateway, junior. A first-team all-Group 1 player last season, she smacked 44 hits, including 15 doubles and two triples, with 43 RBIs on the way to a .603 batting average. Hynds, who had an on-base percentage of .648, needs 24 hits to reach 100.

Kristen Knorr, Delsea, senior. The first 100-hit junior in the history of the school, she batted .481 last season, when she was a catcher, and could become the Crusaders' all-time leading hitter. This year, Knorr will catch and split pitching duties.

Amanda Martinez, Williamstown, senior. A speedy switch hitter who has moved from center field to shortstop, she led the team in doubles, triples, and home runs last season and is expected to get on base often as the leadoff hitter. Last year, she batted .470.

Laura Messina, Camden Catholic, senior. One of the top pitchers in South Jersey, the Marlton resident broke the school's single-season and career strikeout records and, at 803 Ks, is going for 1,000. She also hit .533 last year.

Gina McCool, Cherokee, senior. A shortstop in her second year at the position, she had a fielding percentage of .960 and batted .387 from the leadoff spot last season. McCool is a team captain who has signed to play for Rider University.

Kylie McGoldrick, Sterling, senior. A four-year varsity starter who reached the 100-hit plateau last season, she batted .535 and is 14 hits from surpassing the school record of 127 set by Steph Skroski in 2006. McGoldrick is a sure-handed shortstop.

Alyssa Paradiso, Hammonton, senior. A three-year starter, she will remain in the infield this season, at second base or shortstop. Paradiso, a lefthanded slapper, batted .347 last season as the No. 1 or 2 hitter. She also had 47 putouts.

Michelle Pezzato, Shawnee, senior. A fleet-footed left fielder-pitcher with a strong arm, she holds the school's single-season hits and runs-scored records with 42 and 30, respectively. Pezzato last year batted .433, and she is likely to get her 100th career hit this season. The Salisbury-bound player had an 8-1 record in the circle.

Lachelle Rouse, Overbrook, senior. A four-year starter and Overbrook's No. 1 catcher, Rouse last season hit .384 and knocked in 23 runs. She needs 15 hits to reach 100 and will bat fifth in the lineup. She handles young pitchers well.

Brittany Scott, Buena, junior. The Chiefs' No. 1 pitcher the last two years, she also hits for average and with power from the third spot in the lineup. Scott had 20 of Buena's 22 wins with a 0.70 ERA and batted .455 with 10 extra-base hits.

Alissa Schoelkopf, Washington Township, senior. A four-year starter on the mound, she bounced back from elbow surgery in 2009 to go 14-9 with 215 strikeouts and a 0.90 ERA last season. Schoelkopf will attend Monmouth in the fall.

Taylor Steele, Holy Cross senior. A crafty hurler, she pitched 1371/3 innings and went 15-6 with a 1.53 ERA last year. Steele struck out 205 batters and walked 36 in leading the Lancers to the Non-Public South B semifinals.

Steph Vuono, Eastern, junior. A shortstop and backup pitcher the last two seasons, she will be the Vikings' No. 1 hurler this year. Vuono has been taking pitching classes since freshman year and has five pitches that will be handled by veteran catcher Gen Gaynor.

- Bill Iezzi

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