DeGennaro Provides Power for Pearl River Softball

Two years ago, Jamie DeGennaro played the low-pressure role of reserve catcher on the Pearl River softball team for most of the season.

Then the Pirates' lost their starting catcher to injury just before the playoffs, putting DeGennaro in the starting role as Pearl River went on to win a section championship and advance to the state finals.

"As a tenth grader, there's really not much pressure on you yet," DeGennaro said. "Then Christina got hurt and it's, 'You are are catcher for the playoffs, the most important part of the season.' It was a really good learning experience."

DeGennaro is putting those lessons to good use again, heating up offensively in the playoffs as Pearl River (24-1) pursues its second consecutive state championship. Pearl River will play Elmira Free Academy (14-7) 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the NYSPHSAA (State) Class A semifinals at Nanuet.

"She's in a groove," senior pitcher Katie O'Flynn said. "She's hot right now. I think it just automatically clicks in the playoffs. I think even more because we are seniors now and any moment could be your last."

"She did this last year, too," Pearl River Coach Mike Carlacci said. "She caught fire and started hitting line drives all over the place. Certainly, she's had a big postseason so far (this year), too."

One thing DeGennaro did not do during the playoffs last year was hit home runs. She had never hit a home run in her varsity career before this year's playoffs. She belted her first in the bottom of the first inning of Pearl River's 3-2 victory over Beacon in the Section 1 quarterfinals May 31. She also drove in a run with a bunt in that contest.

DeGennaro homered again in the top of the first inning of Pearl River's 5-0 first-round state playoff game against Port Jervis Monday. Even DeGennaro was at a loss to explain hitting two home runs in four games.

"I don't know. I really don't," DeGennaro said. "Every time I go up, I think in my head, 'Line drive up the middle. Line drive up the middle.' If I do that, I try to hit the ball as hard as I can and hopefully everything works out."

DeGennaro had one of two extra-base hits in the 2-1 section championship victory over Eastchester, a sixth-inning double, and singled three times in the Pirates' 15-0 section playoff victory over Nyack.

Even potential outs have been productive of late. DeGennaro hit a hard ground ball Monday to Port Jervis standout shortstop Amber Butenhoff, whose error on the play allowed DeGennaro to get on base while Kristyn Neroda came around to score the Pirates' third run. Sam Alicandri ran for DeGennaro and scored on a single by O'Flynn.

"My dad always says, if you hit the ball as hard as you can, good things will happen," DeGennaro said.

"I think it’s more just you take the same approach and you trust that good things are going to happen more of than not," Carlacci said. "That’s sort of our philosophy -- do what we do. Jamie is a great hitter. If she has a couple games where she’s not getting hits, we know she’s going to come back and get the hits."

DeGennaro has plenty of help in a deep lineup and her No. 3 spot in the lineup is part of a veteran heart of the order that includes senior shortstop Gemma Mahoney at No. 2, O'Flynn batting cleanup and junior Nicole Leote fifth.

DeGennaro is also part of a Pearl River defense that has been extremely sharp in the playoffs.

"She’s rock solid back there, working with Katie," Carlacci said. "Calling pitches. Not letting anything by her. Throwing runners out."

Those years of experience working with O'Flynn are also a key for the Pirates.

"It definitely is," O'Flynn said. "She definitely knows how to to communicate with me. I know how to communitcate with her. I get her going. She gets me going."

"I feel like, especially the last two and a half years, when we were sophomores played in playoffs together, we’ve really gotten to know each other very well," DeGennaro said. "When we warm up, I know what’s working, what’s not working. Going into each game, I pretty much know how she’s going to pitch."

DeGennaro will continue her career at Division III Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ, but right now she is focused on making sure she gets to play three more games with Pearl River. That begins with Elmira Free Academy, which had a bye in the first round of states after beating Maine-Endwell, 4-2, in the Section 4 Championship Game.

"Once you get to the regionals, you’re just playing teams you don’t know," DeGennaro said. "Every team has to be good if they won their section. You have to put everything into every game."

That may be the secret to DeGennaro's recent hot streak.

"I think, especially with this team, since wer’re so close, knowing any game could be your last game playing with these people (is motivating)," DeGennaro said. "I have played with the seniors since I was nine. It’s a lot of emotions. Going into each game you know you don’t want to stop playing with these people You don’t want this to be over. We’ve been so successful.

"I go into each game wanting to put everything into it so there is a next game."