D’Anna Devine played for a state title with her Pennsbury squad last year and recently competed in the Women’s College World Series with her University of South Florida squad. Three SOL softball teams – Central Bucks South, Hatboro-Horsham and Pennsbury – will be competing in Friday’s PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinals.
D’Anna Devine is living out the dream.
The former Pennsbury star was an integral part of the Falcons’ remarkable run to the PIAA Class AAAA title game last season. One year later, Devine once again found herself on top of her sport when her University of South Florida squad earned a spot in the prestigious Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla.
“She went from what we thought was the big stage - but now we put things in perspective, and we realize it was the little stage - to the really big stage,” Pennsbury coach Frank McSherry said. “Not too many kids get to do that, especially in back-to-back seasons.
“The kids were so excited through the whole World Series. That’s all they talked about – South Florida and D’s team and D being there, ‘Did you see D last night?’ It was really cool.”
For her part, Devine hasn’t forgotten what it was like to be part of the state playoffs for the very first time as a senior.
“It was a goal from the beginning of the season,” she said. “Since my freshman year, I had never made it to states. I wanted to accomplish that before I graduated.
“It was very exciting. It was almost the same feeling as now, just getting prepared for it and knowing a big game was coming up. I was worried about preparing for the game and not thinking about anything else, just focusing on softball.”
Devine’s run would have been even more remarkable – if that’s possible – if she had not been required to report to USF by June 26. Her Newtown Rock Gold squad finished second in the prestigious ASA Gold Nationals last summer.
“Even not being there and just hearing about it every day, I was excited,” Devine said.
Devine’s collegiate softball experience began in earnest when the fall semester began. After a week of individual work, the team practices began. Fall workouts began at 7 a.m.
“It depends on the day – we do squats, bench press, a lot of band work, ab work and speed and agility,” she said.
In addition to playing 16 games, the team held practices every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with strength training and conditioning every Tuesday and Thursday. That schedule continued until the team disbursed for winter break on Dec. 8.
“The day before that, we were still outside practicing and sweating,” Devine said. “There was really no winter.”
Practices began immediately after winter break, and the games began in earnest in early February. Devine saw significant playing time for a freshman, starting 22 games and seeing action in 33. She batted .269 and boasted the highest on-base percentage of the regulars (.433).
“I know with school ball and travel ball you play softball every day, but this is literally – you wake up and play softball all day long,” Devine said. “You go to class obviously, but it’s mainly softball. We work out in the morning, go to class and then have practice every single day.
“There are times when at six o’clock we’d get a surprise call to come and we would have a surprise workout. I know a lot of people would be tempted not to go or not show up. You have to be dedicated to softball and your schoolwork.”
The Bulls won the NCAA Gainesville Regional and followed that by winning Super Regionals on their home diamond. That set the stage for USF’s first ever trip to the College World Series.
“It was so exciting because our program has never been this far,” Devine said. “I was just happy to be part of the team.”
USF dropped its first two games in Oklahoma City, falling to an Oklahoma squad that advanced to the final 5-1 and then dropping a 1-0 decision to LSU. Both games were nationally televised. Devine saw several innings of action in the Bulls’ loss to Oklahoma.
“My adrenaline was going crazy, my heart was beating so fast, but it was definitely fun though,” she said.
Looking back at her first season, Devine points to USF’s 4-1 win over Florida, then ranked number four nationally, as a highlight. The former Pennsbury standout, who saw action at both second base and in the outfield this season, was 2-for-3 with a walk.
“We played Florida our fourth game of the season, and we only lost by one run (3-2) the first time,” Devine said. “The second game was at their stadium, and everyone was pumped up. That was really exciting.
“I just had fun throughout the whole season.”
Devine’s success at the collegiate level has been a point of pride for her former squad.
“She played for us for four years, and she’s a sweetheart of a kid,” McSherry said. “I texted her during the run and wished her a lot of luck and told her how good it was to see her on TV.
“It really puts things into perspective. We like to think how important it is what we’re doing right now, and it really is, but wow, she took it to the next level, and that’s so special for her.
“She got her share of playing time as a freshman. She’s going to make her mark down there the next three years, which is really cool.”
Devine is expecting to be on the sidelines when Pennsbury takes on Lower Dauphin in Friday’s PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinal game at Lyons Field in Fleetwood.
“Always a Falcon,” Devine said.
(1-4) PENNSBURY vs. (3-3) LOWER DAUPHIN at Lyons Field, Fleetwood, 12 noon
Pennsbury
- 21-4 overall, 13-1 SOL
- National Conference co-champions with Neshaminy
- Defending district and state runner-up
- Defeated Pennridge 1-0 in second round district contest that saw Val Buehler toss a three-hit shutout and freshman Dani Litwin deliver the game-winning hit.
- Needed eight innings to defeat ninth-seeded Methacton 2-1 in a district quarterfinal game. Suzanne Swanicke, just back after a bout with bronchitis, delivered a two-out double in the eighth and then scored the winning run when Michelle George delivered a clutch single.
- Managed just one hit – an infield single by Suzanne Swanicke with two outs in the seventh – in a 4-0 semifinal loss to Bishop Shanahan.
- Fell to Central Bucks South 9-1 in district third place game.
- Pennsbury defeated District 4 champion Williamsport 6-1 in Monday’s opening round. Mackenzie Obert, Christina Bascaro, Jess Greenwald and Dani Litwin led the Falcons 10-hit attack with two hits each. Val Buehler earned the win on the mound.
Players to watch: Val Buehler (Jr., pitcher), Mackenzie Obert (Jr., shortstop), Jess Greenwald (Jr., second baseman), Christina Bascara (Jr., third baseman), Suzanne Swanicke (Jr., first baseman), Michelle George (Jr., centerfielder), Farryl Groder (Soph., rightfielder)
Lower Dauphin*
- 25-2 overall, 12-0 Mid-Penn League
- Mid-Penn Keystone Division champions
- Captured Mid-Penn Conference championship
- Top-seeded team entering District 3 Tournament but upset by Central Dauphin 2-1 in district semifinals
- Meghan Donlan and Katie Moosic split duties on the mound – both earned first team all-league honors
- Led by all-everything shortstop Casey Alcorn, who earned first team all-league honors after batting .525 during the regular season and committing zero errors. As a junior, the East Carolina-bound senior hit .604 and struck out only twice the entire season. One of top two candidates for Gatorade PA Softball Player of the Year.
- Sophomore first baseman Madison Kotchey, also a first team all-league selection, was Lower Dauphin’s leading hitter during the regular season. She hit .567 with 25 RBIs and eight triples.
- Centerfielder Elaine Gross is also a first team all-league selection
- Defeated North Penn 3-1 in Monday’s opening round. Moosic scattered six hits, four singles through six shutout innings. Kotchey was a perfect 2-for-2 and delivered the game’s big blow – a two-run double in the first. Alcorn also had a pair of hits.
(1-3) CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH vs. (12-1) ST. HUBERT’S at Spring-Ford at 12 noon
Central Bucks South
- 19-4 overall, 12-2 SOL
- Continental Conference co-champions with Hatboro-Horsham
- Defeated #11Wissahickon 4-0 in second round district game. The Titans were led by the four-hit, nine-strikeout effort of Haileigh Stocks and the two-hit, two-RBI performance of Hallie Bilker.
- The Titans pounded out nine hits and benefitted from three errors (resulting in three unearned runs) to earn an 8-0 win over third-seeded Spring-Ford in the quarterfinals. Lauren Klepchick led the Titans with a 3-for-4 day while Hallie Bilker drove in three runs with a bases-clearing triple. Haileigh Stocks allowed just two hits in the shutout.
- Titans never led in their 4-3 loss to North Penn in a district semifinal contest. Morgan Decker led the Titans with a pair of hits.
- Rolled to a 9-1 win over top-seeded Pennsbury in the district’s third place game. Freshman Maddie Decker’s two-run double highlighted a six-run uprising in the fourth inning. Haileigh Stocks not only earned the win on the mound, the senior hurler also was 3-for-3 with a double to lead a 15-hit Titan attack.
- Haileigh Stocks had a pair of three-run homers and also earned the win on the mound in the Titans’ 8-1 win over District 11 champion Liberty in Monday’s opening round. Lauren Klepchick added a pair of hits, including an RBI double.
Players to watch: Haileigh Stocks (Sr., pitcher), Morgan Decker (Sr., third baseman), Lauren Klepchick (Sr., catcher), Hallie Bilker (Jr., rightfielder)
St. Hubert’s
- 19-4 overall
- Defeated Conwell Egan 2-1 to capture PCL championship
- Won District 12 title with a 12-0 win over Central
- Defeated Dallastown 9-3 in Monday’s opening round state playoff game. Erica Raggazone earned the win, allowing six hits while striking out eight and walking none. Raggazone (2 RBIs), Jessica Gryzwna (4 RBIs) and Jess Mishinski (2 RBIs) led the Hubert’s 12-hit attack with two hits each.
(1-5) HATBORO-HORSHAM vs. (1-2) BISHOP SHANAHAN at Spring-Ford, 2 p.m.
Hatboro-Horsham
- 22-3 overall, 12-2 SOL
- Continental Conference co-champions with Central Bucks South
- Defending district and state champion
- Defeated #13 Upper Darby 3-0 in second round district contest in a game that saw Maggie Shaffer toss a two-hit shutout and sophomore Daria Edwards deliver a two-run homerun.
- The Hatters managed just one hit as they fell to fifth-seeded Bishop Shanahan 1-0 in the quarterfinals. Eagles’ mound ace Kate Poppe fanned 17 and drove in the winning run.
- Regrouped to rout Methacton 13-0 in an abbreviated five-inning playback game. Val Sadowl (double, home run, three RBIs), Chrissy James and Nicole D’Andrea (2 RBIs) each collected two hits for the Hatters, who pounded out 14 hits. Maggie Shaffer tossed the abbreviated shutout.
- Hatters rolled to an 8-1 win over third-seeded Spring-Ford in fifth place playback game. Maria Spinosa’s grand slam in the fourth inning put the Hatters on top 6-1. Chrissy James and Heather Lutz delivered solo homers. Lutz was a perfect 3-for-3 to lead the Hatters. Maggie Shaffer earned the win on the mound.
- The Hatters rallied from a 1-0 deficit to earn a 9-3 win over District 3 champion Central Dauphin in Monday’s opening round state game. Junior Nicole Casagrand led the Hatters with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate. Chrissy James, Maggie Shaffer and Daria Edwards each added two hits. Val Sadowl had a two-run double in the Hatters’ four-run fourth, and Heather Lutz contributed a triple.
Players to watch: Maggie Shaffer (Sr., pitcher), Val Sadowl (Sr., shortstop), Jackie DiPietro (Sr., centerfielder), Chrissy James (Sr., second baseman), Nicole D’Andrea (Sr., designated hitter), Heather Lutz (Jr., rightfielder), Nicole Casagrand (Jr., first baseman) Maria Spinosa (Jr., third baseman), Daria Edwards (Jr., catcher), Jenn Cader (Fr., leftfielder)
Bishop Shanahan
- 21-3 overall
- Opened season with 10 straight wins
- Won 17 of 18 before dropping a pair of games to close out the regular season
- Defeated Hatboro-Horsham 1-0 in a district quarterfinal game that was the Kate Poppe show. The Villanova-bound hurler struck out 17 and allowed just one hit.
- Poppe was once again the story in Shanahan’s 5-0 upset of top-seeded Pennsbury in the district semifinal. The senior mound ace allowed just one hit while fanning 10. The Eagles plated three unearned runs in the second.
- Fell to North Penn 2-1 in the District One AAAA title game. Poppe allowed five hits and one earned run while striking out 16, bringing the Villanova-bound senior’s strikeout total to 58 in four district games.
- Defeated Central 12-0 in Monday’s opening round state playoff game. Poppe tossed a perfect game in the abbreviated five-inning contest, striking out 13 of 15 batters she faced, including 11 in a row at one stretch.
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