Bock optimistic about playoffs
Ronald Reagan was in the oval office when Brownsville’s girls softball team last appeared in the WPIAL playoffs. After winning the section title that season, the Lady Falcons won a preliminary-round playoff game before exiting in a first-round game. Jane Bock, in her 22nd year as coach, is optimistic about ending that lengthy drought.
“Washington and Waynesburg are the top teams in the section,” she said, “but we have a shot for third place.”
Bock’s Falcons narrowly missed the playoffs last year, finishing fourth in Section 2-AA with a 5-7 mark and a 6-10 overall record.
With six letterwinners among the 16-player varsity squad, Bock has reason to be optimistic.
But to tread where no Lady Falcon have stepped in two decades, Brownsville “will have to be consistent at the plate and our pitching must come through,” Bock said.
With three candidates, pitching could be one of the Falcons’ strengths.
Leading the way is senior Jeana Rouse, the workhorse of the staff last year with a 5-8 record and 74 strikeouts in 83 innings pitched.
“Jeana has been our most consistent pitcher. She has a good fastball and mixes it well with a good change-up,” said Bock, who teaches biology and anatomy at Brownsville.
Waiting in the wings is 5-foot-9-inch freshman Stacey Knox, who is “still young, but she has the potential to be quality pitcher,” Bock noted. “She has no high school experience and needs playing time to develop confidence. She has improved since last summer and has a nice fastball for a freshman. She is tall and lanky, a good build for a pitcher.”
If Bock has to go three-deep for pitchers, she can hand the ball to sophomore Rebecca Bruschi, who missed all of last year with broken ankle.
“She is a natural athlete and hard worker and can play anywhere,” Bock said. “She does what we ask. She has a nice, quick arm and can also play shortstop, third base, or behind the plate.”
Brownsville’s offense, at least early in the season, will revolve around the meat of the lineup, the two, three, and four positions in the batting order.
In the two spot will be junior Nicole Kerestine, a two-year starter who will play either third base or shortstop. A line drive hitter, Kerestine batted .255 last year, but with a .444 on base percentage, she reached base on nearly half of her at bats.
“She is a hard worker and true team player,” Bock noted. “Her strength is her defense, but her ability to get on base is an asset offensively.”
Batting third will be senior first baseman and three-year letterwinner Nicole Voytovich, who also batted .255 last year.
“This will be Nicole’s fourth year as starter,” Bock said. “She’s consistent and an excellent defensive player.”
As a freshman last year, sophomore catcher Emily Lucosh batted .377, the second highest average on the team. Combined with her 547 slugging percentage and .491 on base percentage, Lucosh earned the honor of batting in the cleanup spot this year. Her four triples led the team.
“Emily is a natural athlete,” Bock said. “Based on what she did last year, she is obviously a good hitter. Last year was the first time she caught and she has a nice arm behind the plate. It’s good to have her experience coming back.”
However, with only six letterwinners, inexperience is an issue,” Bock said. “Our new players need playing time and have to develop fast, but we’re confident going into the season. Our players are ready to go.”