Giachetti looks for Waynesburg girls to have outstanding year
Waynesburg wasn’t a top-four seed last spring, but it did enter the WPIAL Class AA softball playoffs with a 16-1 record after running the Section 3-AA table with a perfect 10-0 record. Yet, the Raiders were unceremoniously bounced in the first round by McGuffey, 8-7. It had to be the type of disappointment to last a full year.
“That extraordinary loss you mean?” said Waynesburg coach Lou Giachetti. “Nah, we’re over it. For the season we were 16-2 and our only losses were in extra innings to the same team. You feel pretty good about that, and with the girls that are returning we feel pretty good about the coming season. Our goals are high, as always.”
Waynesburg has a two-year record of 28-6 and Giachetti expects more of the same this season from a team that returns 10 lettermen.
The losses, however, include all-Section 3-AA players Tera Raymont, Nikki Giachetti and Erin Cross, who was the team’s primary pitcher.
“We lost a pitcher but we have two underclassmen there and I think pitching will be one of our strengths this year,” Giachetti said.
Nikki Shriver, a junior who pitched eight games last season, will be one of those pitchers. The other will be sophomore Autumn Minor. Giachetti has confidence in both.
“Absolutely,” he said. “Again, pitching will be one of our strengths. The last three, four years, hitting was a strength and I hope it continues. The girls are swinging the bats well in practice.
“If we can play defense, we’ll be competitive in our section, but that brings up another point. Our section should be very interesting this year.”
The former Section 3-AA has been overhauled and Waynesburg is now a part of Section 7-AA, along with Charleroi, Brownsville, Washington, McGuffey and former Class AAA playoff teams Elizabeth-Forward and Belle Vernon.
“We always set our sights high but it’ll be an interesting section with all of those teams,” Giachetti said. “I don’t think we’ll go 10-0.”
Waynesburg does have one returning all-section player in third baseman Tyler Joseph. She’ll anchor an infield that includes returning starters Jessie Schifko at second base and Angie Kayla at shortstop. Megan Areford moves to catcher and senior Melinda Henderson moves to first base. Areford, Schifko, Joseph and Kayla all hit over .300 last season and are all juniors.
Replacing Henderson in the outfield will be another senior, Elizabeth Gregg. The only other senior on the team is outfielder Amie Crayne.
Returning lettermen who’ll help and provide playing time are outfielders Danielle King, Natalie Fisher and Amber Conklin, all juniors, giving Waynesburg eight juniors among its first 11 players and perhaps giving Giachetti a reason to get out of coaching after next season.
“Oh, no,” he said with a laugh. “We have about five freshmen who could step in and we wouldn’t slack off at all.
“I’m looking forward to the season It’s going to be real exciting. We’re young but experienced. Pitching’s a strength; I think hitting’s a strength; and if we play defense things could get real exciting.”