June 16, 2009

PHILADELPHIA - A pair of incoming Saint Joseph's softball freshmen - Rochelle Christman (Orefield, Pa./Parkland) and Deanna Stinner (Orefield, Pa./Parkland) - led their respective high school teams to Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state titles last week.

A four-year starter at Greencastle Antrim High School, Christman provided the key defensive out in the Blue Devils' 1-0 nine-inning victory over Bethlehem Catholic in the PIAA Class 3A championship game. With two outs and the score knotted at zero in the top of the ninth, the senior catcher applied a sweeping tag at the plate, keeping the game scoreless and setting up a dramatic bottom half of the inning.

A four-time Herald Mail First Team All-Star, Christman entered the game with a .471 batting average and 11 home runs and with a runner at second, Bethlehem Catholic intentionally walked. Two pitches later, Christman and her team celebrated as Greencastle-Antrim scored on a single down the left field line to earn the program's first title and cap a 25-3 season.

The 2009 Herald Mail All-Area Hitter of the Year, the 5-foot-8 Christman will don the Crimson and Gray next year after posting a .452 batting average, with over 30 career home runs, 126 RBI and 114 runs scored to go with more than 50 stolen bases at Greencastle Antrim.

A stellar student-athlete on the mound, Stinner led Parkland High School to a 5-1 victory over Shaler for the PIAA Class 4A state title. Despite giving up a first-inning run, Stinner shutdown the opposing batters, allowing just three hits over the final six innings, including a 1-2-3 seventh to earn the state crown for the Trojans for just the third time in school history.

The Morning Call's Player of the Year, Stinner went 24-3, with 0.72 ERA and over 110 strikeouts in 135 innings this seasons. At the plate, she batted .368 with 16 RBI and only three strikeouts on the year as Parkland finished the season with a 25-4. A four-time All-Area selection, Stinner capped her career with a 64-18 record and Parkland's first state title since 1998.

Saint Joseph's lost four starters from this year's team that went 27-20 and advanced to the Atlantic 10 title game.