Penn Hills’ Richardson makes all-rookie team

By: Josh Rizzo
Sunday, May 15, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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Irlynn Richardson wanted to be sharp while she was on the diamond.

The Lincoln (Pa.) University freshman spent more time as a collegian getting to know her opponents.

“I wanted to have a higher IQ,” said Richardson, who is a 2021 Penn Hills graduate. “The girls at this level are smarter on base when they get to this level and are better players. I always want to know how fast each player can throw or what kind of arm each fielder has.”

Developing a knack for details has served Richardson well. Richardson, along with fellow freshman MacKienzee Rasheed, became the first two players in school history selected to the Division II’s Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association All-Rookie team.

Richardson finished with 39 hits, which is a record since the program moved to Division II. She also put up the school’s second-best mark in stolen bases with 23, third-best in run scored with 23 and fifth in batting average with .382.

“It’s fun to look up where the records are at, and I would like to keep moving up the list,” Richardson said. “I would like to break my own records next year. I would like to see everyone break their own records and see improvement.”

None of Richardson’s production shocked first-year coach Renee Clarke. When she was assembling her first recruiting class, Clarke received an e-mail from Richardson expressing her interest to play there.

Richardson wanted to continue playing softball but hadn’t found a landing spot yet.

The Lions provided a good opportunity. Lincoln, which opted out of the 2021 season and played five games in 2020 before the pandemic shut down the season, needed players who could come in and contribute.

Clarke, after meeting Richardson, had high expectations.

“We are in the midst of rebuilding the program,” Clarke said. “We weren’t surprised with how well we played. We expected Irlynn to be a centerpiece of the rebuild. She was able to forge a solid foundation for the future.”

Richardson did not shy away from a coach with high expectations.

“It was nice she thought that,” Richardson said. “It was a new program that was starting fresh and trying to build something. It’s been a lot of fun and a good experience.”

While the team’s record won’t jump off the page, Clarke stressed it wasn’t reflective of Lincoln’s progress. The Lions finished 6-31 overall and 5-11 in CIAA play.

Lincoln’s five wins in CIAA competition tied a school record.

“It is a process,” Clarke said. “If you just looked at our schedule and saw our results, you would draw erroneous conclusions about our program’s performance. If you saw us play, you’d be surprised we finished the season (6-31). We broke the seasons into three sections and tried to focus on building for the future.”

Richardson, who plays shortstop, believes this was a strong step forward for Lincoln’s program. She enjoys the atmosphere of attending an HBCU and believes the Lions have developed a strong chemistry.

“We want to be mentally strong,” Richardson said. “We want to be confident and keep going.”

Tags: Penn Hills