Seton-LaSalle has a winning formula

Through Tuesday’s district high school softball schedule, Seton-LaSalle had only been able to play seven games, but the Rebels made sure the games counted, literally and figuratively.

All the games were meaningful section games and all the results were wins.

Seton-LaSalle started the season 7-0 but it has been anything but a cake walk through Section 4-AA.

Many of those seven victories have been close games.

The close games, while maybe not good for the faint of heart, have been beneficial in the development of a team replacing three seniors and starting three freshmen.

“Some of those games may have added a few extra ticks to my heartbeat,” Rebels coach Jay Krull joked. “But it has been very good for us. In past years we were beating up on some teams and then in the playoffs you start playing all good teams and it becomes a surprise when you are in a competitive game.”

Krull hopes another deep postseason run is ahead for his team. Last year Seton-LaSalle finished 13-4 with a 9-1 record in Section 1-AA. It reached the WPIAL semifinals but lost to Deer Lakes. It also qualified for the PIAA playoffs by virtue of winning the third-place consolation game.

Seven starters are back from that team headlined by senior pitcher Lauren Zola.

“It is always nice having a lot of returning starters,” Krull said. “And we have been pretty fortunate to have a few freshmen come in — they are really nice ballplayers.”

Zola was 12-4 last year in the circle and she also batted .480. This season she is 6-0 with 86 strikeouts and a 0.05 ERA through her first six starts while batting .300.

“Lauren so far this year has been dominant,” Krull said.

Zola, a right-hander, clocks near 60 miles per hour on the radar gun. A Carrick resident, Zola is a four-year starter and she has committed to play at IUP.

“She has always thrown hard,” Krull said. “She has developed from a thrower to a pitcher. Lauren has developed more movement on her pitches and developed a nice off-speed pitch. As a freshman, she would pretty much overpower you and now as a senior she has multiple weapons at her disposal.”

Freshman right fielder Lexi Wagner is a star in the making. She has already made a verbal commitment to Pitt. She is batting .353.

“She is playing extremely well for a freshman,” Krull said. “She is quite a ballplayer.”

Another freshman, first baseman Jada Simon, has earned a starting spot at first base. She bats in the middle of the lineup. Simon is hitting .300 this year. Senior center fielder Dani Dadig, a Youngstown State commit, is leading the team with a .579 batting average.

Sophomore second baseman Julie Curry and junior third baseman Annie Borofski are batting .333 and .275, respectively.

As a team, the Rebels had only committed two errors through their first six games this season.