Pitt Softball Welcomes Seven for the 2012 Season
11/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Nov. 22, 2010
PITTSBURGH—Head Softball Coach Holly Aprile announced the addition of seven student-athletes to the PITT softball family, this week. Joining the Panthers for the 2012 season will be Savannah King, Carly Thea, Maggie Sevilla, Alexa Larkin, Carissa Throckmorton, Alicia Keough and Nikki Caruso.
“We are extremely excited to have this outstanding group of young women joining our program,” Aprile said. “They each bring a unique set of attributes to the table which will add to our depth and versatility.”
King (Placentia, Calif./Orange Lutheran), a right-handed pitcher and first baseman, is a three-year varsity starter for the Orange Lutheran Lancers. She was named Orange Lutheran MVP in 2010 along with First Team All-League in 2008 and Second Team All-League in 2009 and 2010. In 2008, she was named to the All-County Freshman Team and in 2010 she ranked second in the Division I Trinity League in strikeouts.
“Savannah is a tough, focused competitor who has very high expectations for herself both on and off the field, Aprile added. “She is a great pitcher and also swings the stick very well. We are excited to have her join our program.”
A well rounded student-athlete, King is also a three year varsity starter in basketball and helped lead the Lancers to the CIF championships in 2009 and the CIF semi-finals in 2010. Academically she ranks third in her class and has been on the honor roll each semester. She is a member of the California Scholastic Federation and National Honors Society. She is also a National Merit Scholarship nominee and for the past two years has been the President of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Additionally, King is a member of the teamSmith, a travel organization coached by Julie Smith and Terry Schweikert.
Thea (Bellmore, N.Y./JFK High School) an outstanding left-handed centerfielder, led JFK to back-to-back conference championships in 2008 and 2009. She was an All-County selection in both her sophomore and junior seasons, boasting a .625 batting average as a junior. Adding to her accolades, she was honored as JFK’s Softball Athlete of the Decade in 2010.
“Carly has great instincts and covers a ton of ground in the outfield,” Aprile noted. “She swings a powerful bat from the left side and we are thrilled that she chose Pitt.”
A three-sport standout, Thea also excels on the soccer field and basketball court, leading her team to back-to-back basketball conference titles in 2008 and 2009 while also serving as a team captain. She is a member of the National Honor Society and is a Scholar-Athlete honoree. Thea also competes at the gold and premier level with Team Long Island coached by Angelo Marino.
A versatile infielder and catcher, Sevilla (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch) enters her final high school season after being named the San Diego Union Tribune Athlete of the Year as a junior. A two-time First Team All-CIF honoree in 2009 and 2010, she also excelled academically as a First Team All-Academic selection in 2010. As a member of The Next Level travel organization, Sevilla competed in the 2010 Premier Girls Fastpitch Nationals where she recorded a .609 batting average.
“Maggie is exceptionally smooth on the infield with great range and a quick release,” Aprile stated. “She is powerful at the plate and we expect her to have an immediate impact in our team’s success.”
A tri-athlete, Sevilla is a four-year starter for the Scripps field hockey and soccer teams in addition to playing softball. For her efforts, she was named the San Diego County Inspirational Student of the Month in June, 2010 for maintaining a 4.0 while achieving high accolades athletically.
Larkin (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) a left-handed pitcher and first baseman, is a three-year varsity letterwinner for the Wildcats. As a junior, she was named All-State Second Team, Pittsburgh Post Gazette All-Area First Team, and All-Section and All-Area by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Leading the Wildcats with a .061 ERA, Larkin was voted team MVP in 2010 and also received MSA Sports Network all-star team honors. She is also a two-year letterwinner in basketball.
“Lex is a very hard-working individual, with versatility at the plate and in the field,” Aprile commented. “She will primarily be a pitcher, but she has unlimited potential.”
In the classroom, Larkin holds a 3.94 GPA and is a five-year Distinguished Honor Roll student. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, and was named the Latrobe Rotary Student of the Month in 2010.
Throckmorton (Hanover, Pa./South Western) is an outstanding athlete capable of playing in both the infield and outfield. A Rookie of the Year and team MVP as a freshman, she was also named to the Gettysburg Times All-Team squad. As a sophomore, Throckmorton garnered the Gettysburg Times Co-Player of the Year, and in her junior year was the Offensive MVP. Throckmorton is a three-time YAIAA Division I First Team All-Star, leading the Mustangs last season with a .444 batting average, including five doubles, one triple and four home runs.
“Carissa brings a combination of speed, power and versatility to our line-up. She is capable of playing just about every position on the field, and would be willing to learn anything we asked of her,” Aprile said.
Throckmorton competes year round with the Maryland Lady Orioles coached by Chuck Fisher and Randy Mohr. An excellent student, she was named to the South Western Honor Roll in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
A talented catcher and outfielder, Keough (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) is a three-time All-Conference First Team honoree at Nazareth Academy. She helped guide the Pandas to three conference championships and two district championships, as well as three consecutive state playoff appearances in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Keough has a .464 career batting average and 67 RBI to date.
“Alicia has a great attitude and a fiery spirit,” Aprile stated. “She will spend most of her time at catcher, but we expect her to contribute in a variety of ways.”
When not competing for Nazareth, Keough is a member of the New Jersey Breakers coached by Joe Salvatore. In addition to her athletic achievements, Keough is a Community Service Award winner and is Vice President of the Athletic Association at her high school.
Caruso (Madison, NJ/Madison) is a terrific all-around athlete who earned nine varsity letters in four years at Madison High School. As a junior, Caruso batted .567 and was named Morris County’s top hitter. In addition, she was recognized as First Team All-Conference, First Team Coaches All-County, First Team All-Daily Record, First Team All-County Star Ledger, and Second Team All-State. For the past two seasons, Caruso has served as the softball team captain, while also earning letters in tennis and basketball.
“Nikki is very athletic with good speed and the ability to play both infield and outfield positions,” Aprile said. “She is a welcomed addition to our program.”
Caruso competes for the Morris County Belles travel team that is coached by Don Keimel. A standout student as well, she is a member of the National Honor Society.