Trib HSSN Softball Player of the Week for week of April 29, 2019

By: Don Rebel
Monday, April 29, 2019 | 9:49 PM

Sydney Calderaro

School: Vincentian Academy

Class: Junior

The Trib HSSN Softball Player of the Week is Vincentian Academy junior Sydney Calderaro, who was 5 for 9 with four extra-base hits in three section wins last week.

Calderaro began the week with a bang … actually, a couple of bangs as she connected on a pair of three-run homers in the Royals’ 13-1 rout of Shady Side Academy on Monday.

She then had two doubles, two walks, a single and a couple more RBIs in Vincentian’s wins over Serra Catholic and Riverview.

“Obviously, the two three-run home runs against Shady Side were big hits,” Vincentian Academy coach Bob Arnold said. “Her biggest game, however, was against Serra. We knew the game would be tight. Her first RBI gave us a two-run lead, and her second got us our third run,” in what would be a tight 4-1 victory for the Royals.

For the season, “Syd” is hitting .385 with three homers, 12 RBIs and 11 runs scored. She has also been walked or hit by a pitch 10 times.

Arnold believes her patience at the plate this season is a big part of her success.

“She’s not swinging at marginal strikes and finding a pitch she can drive,” Arnold said. “Basically, take what the pitcher gives her. This has been evident in the number of walks she has gotten.”

Those three wins last week lifted Vincentian Academy to 9-0 in Section 2-2A, 10-0 overall, and they are the new No. 1 Class 2A team in the latest Trib HSSN softball rankings.

“I think we are all pleased with that,” Arnold said. “More so though, we are focused on our preseason goals of making the playoffs and trying to compete in the section. The girls have worked hard, and it’s nice to see it paying off.”

Honorable mention

Alex Bupp, Ambridge

Senior Alex Bupp was a combined 6 for 8 in wins over New Castle and Central Valley. With a double and two home runs, Bupp scored five runs and had nine RBIs. Those wins lifted The Trib HSSN’s Team of the Week, Ambridge, into second place.

Kylie Sinn, Carmichaels

Sophomore Kylie Sinn and her Mighty Mikes teammates only played one game last week because of the wet weather, but they lived up to their nickname. Sinn was 2 for 3 with a double and run scored, plus she pitched a complete game, allowing two runs with five strikeouts as Carmichaels beat Frazier, 4-2, to knock the Commodores out of a first place tie with Chartiers-Houston and into a second place tie with the Mighty Mikes.

Halaena Blakley, Union

Sophomore Halaena Blackley lumped a week’s worth of offensive stats into one game for Union. She hit for the cycle with a single, double, triple and home run against Rochester, ending up with four runs scored and four RBIs. Plus, she was the winning pitcher in yielding no runs on one hit with six strikeouts in four innings, as the Scotties rolled past the Rams, 15-0.

Previous Trib HSSN Softball Players of the Week:

Izzy Farmer, West Mifflin

Madison Slowinski, Freedom

Nina Grandey, Serra Catholic

Jena Hixson, Connellsville

This Week’s Trib HSSN Team of the Week — Ambridge Bridgers

Tags: Ambridge, Carmichaels, Union, Vincentian Academy