Softball Announces 2014 Recruiting Class
8/12/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Aug. 12, 2013
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - Seton Hall University head softball coach Paige Smithhas finalized her first recruiting class and will be bringing in a deep and talented group of seven student-athletes to compete for the Pirates this spring.
Infielder Joelle Arrante (Elkton, Md./Rising Sun), first baseman and designated hitter Chelsea Caynon (Litchfield, N.H./Campbell), pitcher and first baseman Paige Caraway (Dozier, Ala./Gulf Coast Community College), pitcher and infielder Lauren Fischer (Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville), infielder and pitcher Noel Lent (Yaphanic, N.Y./Longwood), pitcher and infielder Jennifer Sanislo (Whippany, N.J./Whippany Park) and infielder/outfielder Valerie Suto (Mercerville, N.J./Nottingham) will be suiting up for the Pirates in 2014.
"This is a really talented incoming class full of versatile athletes who share a history of former success and a hunger to continue that success here at Seton Hall," Smith said.
A majority of the incoming players have the talent and experience to make contributions in more than one area, from pitchers that will also see time in the field and at the plate and utility players that can shift from infield to outfield. Specifically the addition of so many new pitchers will allow Smith to take a more versatile and even unconventional strategy to managing the pitching staff during the upcoming season.
"I really expect to take more of a baseball approach to how we use our pitchers," Smith said. "A large part of the mentality of our pitchers last year was they could not afford to struggle at all because it would put us at a disadvantage in a doubleheader. Now we have quite a few people that can throw in game situations and will offer a variety of looks to opposing lineups."
Arrante was a four-year letterwinner in softball at Rising Sun High School and was a First-Team All-County and All-Region selection following her junior season when she helped lead Rising Sun to a 21-2 overall record and a berth in the state semifinals. She played club softball for the Maryland Legends and the NJ Breakers Gold squads.
"Joelle is an animal in the infield, anything hit between the lines I think she has the range to get to it," Smith said. "She will be a lot of fun to watch because she is not a big player but she plays like she is six feet tall."
Caynon played catcher, first base and designated hitter for Campbell High School and helped lead her team to the New Hampshire Division III state championship in 2011 and 2013. She was a four-time All-State Division III First-Team selection and Nashua TelegraphAll-Star honoree. Caynon set the Campbell High School home run record and played club softball for the Polar Crush Gold and Firecracker Fury.
"On Chelsea's recruiting video I was watching a team try to intentionally walk her and I believe on what would have been ball four she took a swing and hit a home run," Smith said. "She is not only a pure hitter but she takes a pure hitter's mentality. She has also been putting a lot of work in to make sure she an option in the field in addition to a designated hitter."
Caraway attended Straughn High School in Adalusia, Ala., and spent last season at Gulf Coast Community College where she was a Florida Junior College Athletic Association First-Team All-Conference pitcher. She posted a 2.40 earned run average with 107 strikeouts last year and boasted a .303 average with four homers at the plate. During her prep career she earned Alabama First-Team All-State accolades following her senior season.
"At Gulf Coast Community College Paige threw a majority of the innings and is also a strong first baseman that can hit in the heart of the lineup," Smith said. "She moves the ball well and has already proven that she can handle big games at the collegiate level. Having a lefty will add depth and diversity to our deep bullpen this year."
Fischer capped up an impressive prep career by leading Robbinsville High School to the New Jersey Group II State Championship, the program's second state title in a three-year span. She was named a Newark Star-Ledger First-Team All-State selection and the MSG VarsityNew Jersey Player of the Year after hitting .486 while posting a 20-2 record in the pitching circle with a staggering 0.17 earned run average and 183 strikeouts.
"Lauren has one of the best bats in the northeast from this recruiting class and we are lucky to have her," Smith said. "She plays a very good corner and has some experience in the middle infield. As a pitcher she throws at a good velocity and hits her locations in all zones very well."
Lent played three varsity seasons for Longwood High School and also was a member of the Long Island Bandits Gold squad in 2012 and 2013. She led Longwood in home runs and RBI with a .462 average as a senior when she received All-County honors. Lent helped lead Longwood to a conference title in 2012, and followed that up by taking the county crown in 2013. Lent was selected to compete in the Suffolk County Softball Coaches Association Exception Senior Game last spring.
"Noel is an infielder that has the ability to hit in the power part of the lineup," Smith said. "She definitely has the ability to hit for average, hit for power, and has some of the best hands in the infield I have seen for an incoming freshman."
Sanislo was a four year letterwinner at Whippany Park High School and also played for the Hudson Valley Hurricanes Gold squad from 2011-13. During her junior season at Whippany she tossed three perfect games and struck out 301 batters while posting a 0.44 earned run average en route to the New Jersey Group I state championship. As a senior she was named the All Morris County Player of the Year in addition to garnering Second-Team All-State and First-Team All Group I honors.
"Jenn made us pay attention to her just from her recruiting video," Smith said. "Her pitches have great break on them; we really see her developing into a very good strikeout pitcher. She is also a talented second baseman and hitter."
Suto graduated from Nottingham ranked second in school history in runs score with 103, second in hits with 127 and third in stolen bases (72) and batting average (.416). In 2013 she helped lead Nottingham to the New Jersey Group III Sectional Final for the first time in 20 years and was named a Trenton TimesNew Jersey Group III Second-Team honoree and a South Jersey First-Team selection.
"I saw Val at an indoor clinic and even though she was listed as an infielder I thought she was really the best outfielder in attendance," Smith said. "She has speed and we are looking forward to hopefully helping her transition to the outfield, but she has the potential to see time in the infield as well."
