Decitise, Horses rolling
Junior pitcher has helped Troy to No. 5 state ranking and No. 2 seed for Class A sectionals
Olivia Decitise believes herself to be a different pitcher this season for the Troy softball team. The results achieved thus far match up with the junior’s self assessment in a positive manner.
Decitise has elevated herself from good to great this spring. The hard-throwing lefty has reached double digits in strikeouts in every start this season and now owns a string of 20 such outings dating back to the 2021 season.
“What she has done is phenomenal and she’s worked extremely hard to get to this point,” Troy coach Sean Geisel said. “She has built a great resume this year to say the least.”
“I am definitely a different player than I was last year,” Decitise said. “Softball is a mind game and it takes a toll on you. This year, I have tried to be stronger with my mindset. I have tried not to get frustrated with the little things or errors. I am just going out there and doing the things that
are controllable . ... I am so proud of myself this season for not letting those little things bother me anymore.”
“She’s grown so much and there is a lot that goes into it,” Troy catcher Kierra Laranjo said. “I think she has around 150 more strikeouts than she did last season. It is incredible how much she has grown. It is amazing.”
Decitise’s breakthrough season has helped lift Troy to the No. 5 ranking in the Class A state poll. The Flying Horses (17-2 overall) landed the No. 2 seed Monday for the Class A Tournament and plays host to No. 7 seed Mohonasen on Thursday in the quarterfinals.
In making a concerted effort to better herself mentally inside the circle, Decitise has fused that inner strength with a wide array of offerings to confound hitters all season. One of her finest showings of the season actually came during a loss when Decitise struck out 27 batters in a 2-1 loss against Burnt Hills-ballston Lake in 12 innings.
“She has really taken control inside the circle and worked really well with her catcher Kierra Laranjo,” Geisel said. “She has really excelled going the second and third time through the lineup and excelled in close games.”
“Pitching is more mental. She realizes after every pitch is a new pitch, whether we call the same pitch or a different one,” Laranjo said. “She knows what she wants to throw.”
Decitise, who earlier this month was named as the Times Union’s Girls’ Bowler of the Year, said her relationship with Laranjo has never been better.
“We communicate on almost every day on pitches and what I like to throw first,” Decitise said. “She knows what pitches I love and which pitches are questionable sometimes. We are almost always on the same page.”
Troy has reeled off 14 consecutive victories since suffering back-to-back losses to Burnt Hills-ballston Lake and Averill Park. Five of those wins came by one run, including 2-1 decisions over No. 1 Class AA seed Shenendehowa and No. 2 Class AA seed Bethlehem.
Decitise, who set a goal before the season to amass 200 strikeouts between pitching for Troy and her Capital District Fusion club team, has effectively mixed her fastball, screwball, curve, rise and change to produce a 15-2 record with a 1.21 earnedrun average and 227 strikeouts over 121 innings.
“This season has been so fun. We are so close to each other,” Decitise said.
Decitise carries a 94 average taking courses geared toward eventually pursuing engineering in college. She is already gaining college credit for her course work at Troy. Outside of the classroom, Decitise has helped raise more than $60,000 for leukemia in honoring the memory of her grandmother
Paula Decitise, who died from a rare form of the disease in 1997.
In addition to her pitching prowess, Decitise has been a force in Troy’s lineup as the team’s No. 3 hitter. She enters postseason play carrying a .409 average with eight doubles, four triples and 18 RBIS.
“She has good power and has produced some big hits for us,” Geisel said. “She has just been tremendous all season with everything.”