Lady Aviators Already Working on '13

The 2012 Hasbrouck Heights softball team made both the state playoffs and the county playoffs for the second straight year.

But the Aviators lost in the first round in both tournaments.

Head coach Jackie Ferranti will try to elongate their postseason runs in 2013 and in the UGALS Bergen County league during the summer. Ferranti is hoping to build on the 2012 finish as the Lady Aviators garnered a 12-13 record and fourth in the NJIC Meadowlands B division.

Part of the summer will be spent looking for players to replace the graduated seniors which inclucdes the team's battery mates - pitcher Julie Sheridan and catcher Jordyn Anderson.

Sheridan was a first-team All North Jersey Interscholastic Conference player who was a leader the last couple of years and the team's top pitcher.

"I was looking at the stats and she struck out more batters last year," said Ferranti. "It could be that she had more confidence with her defense."

Along with her pitching stats, Sheridan led in many of the Heights offensive categories led by a .458 batting average along with 34 RBI and 30 runs.

In Anderson she hit .260 on the season with four doubles and four stolen bases. Anderson was named to the second team All NJIC. "She did just better at the plate and behind the plate," said Ferranti.

In addition Ferranti will have to fill the second base slot with the graduation of Castellanos who hit .282 in 2012 and was second on the team in runs with 23 with a pair of doubles and a triple. She was named to the NJIC honorable mention team.

One of the biggest surprises was sophomore centerfielder Swati Shivkumar who was named to the All NJIC second team. "Just everything improved for her," said Ferranti. "Her batting average jumped 100 points."

Shivkumar showed her promise with a .267 batting average with 14 RBI and 19 runs scored along with eight stolen bases.

Along with the average so did the number of hits that included four triples and three home runs. "She only picked up the sport in seventh grade," said Ferranti. "She practiced every day and she transitioned very well from her freshman to sophomore years."

This is the second year in a row that Heights has a team in the UGALS summer league, but Ferranti has been much more impressed with the turnout this summer. "I think they know about it and are expected to play," said Ferranti about the summer league this year compared to 2011.

She added that sometimes 17 players come out for a game that is sort of a nice dilemma to have. "Sometimes I wish they wouldn't come out," joked Ferranti. "It's like a puzzle. I get somebody in at least two innings for the game."

Ferranti added that the summer is a good testing time to see how some players play in various spots on the field. "It's nice," said Ferranti. "You can put players in different positions. For young players it is 16 games of a tryout with no pressure."

Hasbrouck Heights softball honors for 2012

First Team All NJIC - Julie Sheridan, pitcher

Second Team All NJIC - Swati Shivkumar, outfielder; Jordyn Anderson, catcher

Honorable Mention All NJIC -Daniella Castellanos, second base