The 2024 season holds plenty of promise for the Geneva Eagles softball team.
The Eagles return eight starters and one other letter-winner from last year’s squad that finished 9-16.
“Our senior leadership has been top-notch, and I am not sure I have ever had a more determined group of players than this year,” said Geneva coach Eleshia Pitcher. “They have pushed each other to become better players and worked very hard during the offseason and into the start of the season.”
Coach Pitcher has worked hard in the preseason to fine-tune the Geneva defense to support what is poised to become a reliable pitching staff.
“We have been doing a lot of throwing and fielding drills since we tend to rush our throws which creates throwing errors,” Pitcher said. “We have great team leadership and are pretty deep in our pitching rotation.”
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Senior Alyssa Palmisano returns behind the dish after being named Co-MVP of the Chagrin Valley Conference Lake Division last spring. She batted .355 with five home runs.
“(She) her returns for her fourth season behind the plate for us,” Pitcher said. “She accomplished all this while being a dual track/softball athlete and placing at the state track meet in the shot put.”
Sophomore Addie Sheppard, who earned first-team All-CVC honors last spring as an outfielder, will start in left field, and sophomore Claire Cafaro, a second-team all-conference honoree, will be in center field.
Junior third baseman Savannah Burton and sophomore second baseman Gianna Markijohn were honorable mention all-conference performers.
Burton, the team’s leadoff hitter, batted .362 with a .436 on-base percentage last spring.
Rounding out the projected starting lineup are senior first baseman Bailey Evangelista, senior right fielder Alexis Shuttleworth, freshman shortstop Caidyn Siegel, and sophomore Kailyn Cerjan and junior Finley Mongell, who will split time as designated player.
Junior Annabelle Bragg returns for a third season in the circle. She earned first-team All-CVC honors last spring.
“Annabelle returns for her third season on the mound,” Pitcher said. “She has worked really hard in the offseason to increase speed and perfect her pitches.”
Siegel, Burton, Markijohn, and Evangelista also could chew up some innings for the Eagles.
