Old Forge has six senior returning starters on the softball team. From left, Caroline Revello, Torre DiMattia, Juliette DeStefano, Lilianna Lenceski, Kate O’Hearn, and Ava Arnold. The group attended Howerton Foundation Media Day at PNC Field.
Tom Robinson | For Sunday Dispatch
MOOSIC — Old Forge combines the return of six senior starters with two talented sophomores as it prepares to open the softball season.
Shortstop Lilianna Lenceski, center fielder Kate O’Hearn, catcher/outfielder Ava Arnold, first baseman Juliette DeStefano, first baseman/outfielder Torre DiMattia, and outfielder Caroline Revello are the seniors who are back. They helped the Devils go 7-6, tied for third out of eight teams, in Lackawanna League Division 2 last season when they were 10-11 overall and reached the District 2 Class A championship game.
Kathryn Notari returns as a pitcher after posting a 3.73 earned run average as a freshman.
“It’s all in the circle,” Old Forge coach Pat Revello said. “We’re very experienced through our positions. We have good hitters.
“We have a sophomore pitcher who showed a lot of potential in her freshman year. She’s a year older, and I don’t know anyone who works harder in the offseason.”
Lenceski led the team with a .468 batting average. O’Hearn batted .368 with 18 runs batted in and six doubles. DeStefano drove in 20 runs. Arnold stole seven bases.
Joselyn DeStefano, Juliette’s younger sister, batted .368 while leading the team in homers (four) and doubles (seven) as a freshman.
Old Forge fell to Holy Cross, also the Lackawanna Division 2 champion, in last year’s district final.
“We ran into injuries last year at the end of the season, and those five girls are back now,” coach Revello said. “We’re looking to stay injury-free and have a good season.”
