Junior Dominique Misnik has stepped up as the Pandas’ top pitcher. KEVIN COOK / FOR THE TIMES
When Danielle Vittitow took over the highly-successful Nazareth Academy softball program, she had a simple message for her team: new team, new season, same old tradition.
So far, so good. Following Monday’s 8–0 nonleague loss to visiting Council Rock North, the Pandas still find themselves sitting pretty. They’re 7–4 overall on the season, and outside of consecutive losses to league powerhouse Villa Maria, the team has played strong softball as they head into the regular season home stretch.
“Nazareth has had a standout and at times dominant program with incredible talent coming through,” said Vittitow, who played at Pennsbury High and collegiately at Holy Family. “It’s a lot of pressure considering the standard this program is held to, and I love that. I want to step into a championship program and make it my own. We’re here to write our own story while never forgetting the tradition that got us here.”
Of course, having talented players makes any first-year transition a little easier, and Vittitow has several of them. Leading the way is senior centerfielder Tamara Jennings, a Kutztown commit who is hitting a blistering .600 with a .659 on-base percentage. Junior Dominique Misnik is hitting .355 out of the leadoff spot while also serving as the team’s ace in the pitching circle. Senior leftfielder Maddy Miller (.364 average, 12 RBI), junior shortstop Tricia Kalesse (.400, 16 RBI, committed to Siena College) and sophomore Bethany Liberatore (.559) have all been big contributors for an offense that has scored 78 runs and is batting .342 as a unit.
Despite one bad inning against Council Rock North (which hung a seven-spot on her in the second inning), Misnik has done a fantastic job despite not pitching on a regular basis for two years. She was plagued by some bad luck defense behind her, which is the aspect of the game Vittitow most wants the team to improve upon before next month’s district tournament. Two years ago, the Pandas were in the final four of the state playoffs; now, they’re continuing to come together as a whole while fighting their way back to postseason glory that past teams have experienced.
“I don’t want to sell us short, but we’re saying we need one small victory at a time,” Vittitow said. “One pitch, one out, one inning at a time. We still want to win our Catholic Academies League, which is not out of the realm of possibilities, nor is winning districts. If we get 10 to 15 hits a game and our pitching stays strong and we play better defense, we can be unbeatable. We’re focusing on those small victories to obtain the bigger goals we have.”
Vittitow has holdovers on her roster who were around for the team’s most recent district title and state playoff run. Perhaps none are more accomplished than Jennings, the team’s most feared hitter batting cleanup, its best defender and most vocal leader. When the game got out of hand against Council Rock North and with the team’s usually thunderous bats falling silent, Jennings made it a point to constructively talk to multiple teammates who may have struck out or made an error in the field. She is battle tested, and passing her knowledge along to younger players can only help.
“I’ve been on varsity since my freshman year, so obviously I try to help them out when I notice small things that could use tweaking,” Jennings said. “Them trusting me means a lot. I don’t ever want them to get down on themselves, because then it spreads. I don’t pound it into them … I just try to be helpful.”
And her teammates would be smart to trust Jennings, who last week reached a major milestone by collecting her 100th career hit. She knew she was getting close, but had no idea what the exact number was; with Jennings stuck on 99 hits, Vittitow made it a point not to tell Jennings where she was at, mainly so it didn’t dominate her mind. The next time out, Jennings went 4-for-4 and led the Pandas to a victory.
“I’m glad it all worked out for me, because reaching something like that is amazing,” she said. “It helped the team get a win, which was great, and taking that even further, I look at those hits over the years as ones that have been helpful to our team. Everything I do is to try to move the team forward.”
Of course, there were some nerves on both sides when Vittitow took over. For the coach, she wanted the team to trust her, even if it means a new coaching style and teaching methods; for Jennings and her teammates — especially the fellow seniors — it was hard to accept a new regime in their final go-round. But after a brief feeling-out period, everyone is getting along just fine.
“She knows what she’s doing, and you can tell,” Jennings said. “From where I stand, I can really appreciate that. She knows how to present things and makes them easy to understand. I’m really happy with how things are going.”
Added Vittitow: “It’s a fantastic group of girls, and we’re 100 percent together as a team. Tamara is an absolute rockstar. She controls the entire field defensively, and every at-bat she has she knows her job, whether it’s hitting a long drive to the outfield or laying down a bunt. She’s so smart, and she’s productive 100 percent of the time because she makes good outs. There is nothing lazy about her swing or attempt, and that’s very intimidating to another team.”
Whether the Pandas capture another district title in 2015 remains to be seen. It could take another year or two of “rebuilding,” as Vittitow said, but Nazareth supporters shouldn’t let the ‘R’ word scare them. The program very much seems like it’s on the right track.
“They are fantastic ballplayers open to learning and trying new things,” Vittitow said. “Not a whole lot needs to be changed, just some minor things here and there. They set their goals and aspirations high because they know they’re capable of playing at the next level.”
“Graduation is on May 31, so that’s not a lot of time to take care of everything,” added Jennings, who will study computer science in college. “We just have to keep thinking and not focusing on the future, just what we have to do right now. Obviously, softball will end one day, and that’s a little sad, but it’s not ending tomorrow or next week. I’m really trying to make the best of it all, and our goal is a league and district title and hopefully getting back to states. We’ll take control of what we can, and look forward to whatever happens.” ••
Same old story: Despite a brand new coaching staff, Tamara Jennings and the Nazareth Academy softball team have kept up their winning ways. KEVIN COOK / FOR THE TIMES
