Bock looks to take Brownsville to next step
Jane Bock enters her 33rd season as head coach of Brownsville softball and is looking for her senior-laden team to take the next step in Class AA.
The Lady Falcons were 7-7 in Section 2-AA last season and 8-9 overall, and lost out on a playoff spot due to losing head-to-head battles with the other two third-place teams.
“We were really close to making the playoffs last year, but we hope we can put it together this season,” Bock said. “We have a senior-laden team with eight seniors returning and will look for some underclassmen to step up as well.”
Bock has been in the sport long enough to know that pitching is key, and she will count on senior Tiffany Markovitch to lead the way in the pitching circle. Markovitch has started the last three years, and was 8-9 in 2015 with an ERA of 2.97. She had 122 strikeouts for the Lady Falcons. Markovitch is also Brownsville’s No. 2 hitter, hitting .400 last season.
“She has really put in a lot of work and played travel ball this summer for the Waynesburg Thunder,” Bock said. “Pitching is very important in softball, and you can do many good things when you have a solid starting pitcher.”
Bock’s cleanup hitter will be first baseman Cheyenne Wasko, who hit .368 last year with a .719 slugging percentage and four home runs. Wasko has started the last three years, and will attend Waynesburg University to play softball.
Senior Allie Lint will play third base primarily, but she can play other positions and has pitched before in her career. Lint hit .344 last season and is very aggressive on the base paths. Bock will bat Lint third in the lineup.
Junior Hannah Batovsky is the Lady Falcons’ leadoff batter, who hit .441 last season, and most of her hits came off bunt and slap singles. She will bat lefty and led the team in steals last season. Batovsky will play in the outfield.
“We have a really solid lineup and a great pitcher, but we need to put it all together,” Bock said. “Last year, we would have a great defensive game and not hit, or we would hit and commit five or six errors. If we can eliminate that this season, I like our chances.”
Senior Celina Smith will hit fifth for Bock. The Lady Falcons’ centerfielder hit .345 last season and has a good arm from the field.
Peyton Jacobs had never played softball until last season, but the senior, who also plays soccer, plays well in the outfield and Bock will use for defensive purposes.
“If you looked at how she plays, you would never know she is in her second year of softball,” Bock said. “She needs to work on her batting, but we will definitely use her in the field.”
Junior Abby Vaughn will handle the catching duties, while freshman Emily Bohna will start at second base. Junior Jessica Peton will see playing time in the outfield or infield. Alexis Zosky and Julie Lawson will take the field for Bock.
Brownsville made its trip to Myrtle Beach that started in 2013, where Bock’s team made the playoffs, and the veteran coach uses the trip to help the team build chemistry.
“Having 20 girls live together for five days is not an easy thing,” Bock said. “We will play a few scrimmages and exhibitions, but it is really important in helping them build as a team. Sometimes that is as important as the games. We will have to be ready when we come back home, though, because our first game when we return is a section game.”
Bock was recently granted a three-year extension at Brownsville, and has been through many ups and downs in her career.
“I played for Frazier and went to Cal U for college,” Bock said. “I have worked with a lot of good people and I am glad to have been here so long. We made the playoffs in 2013, and that was the first time in a long time. We have girls playing travel ball and that is the key.”