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05/14/2014 12:00 AMAlyssa Apuzzo has always brought a strong glove to the East Haven softball team, but now as a junior, she's finally brought the bat to coincide alongside that. As a junior, Alyssa was often substituted out for a designated hitter, but has dramatically grown to be the club's No. 3 hitter for her senior season.
"I struggled last year. Coach gave me plenty of opportunities, but I just wasn't pulling through," says Alyssa of her junior season. "This year, now hitting the way I am, it feels amazing. To go from last year getting DH'ed for and now batting third in the lineup, I couldn't be more proud of myself."
Softball Head Coach Ed Crisafi noticed a different technique at the plate this season, and was pleasantly surprised with her hot start with the bat. While the team was in Florida for scrimmages, Alyssa went 11-for-17, leading the team in both hits and RBI. That hot start has continued throughout the season, making everybody happy.
"She came out of the gates loaded with confidence and she's really hitting the ball," says Crisafi. "She's not opening up her front shoulder. Most of her hits go to center or to right center so she's staying closed and hitting the ball the other way."
It's a big change for Alyssa, who hit roughly .220 at the dish just a year ago.
"Last year I felt that I thought too much. I was my own worst enemy and I had in my head that I have to hit, I have to hit, I have to hit," says Alyssa. "This year, I'm just thinking that I have to shake off last year. It's my senior year; I have to go out with a bang and have fun."
Even though last year was rough at the plate, Alyssa never let it get the best of her glove, which has always been her best asset on the field. Alyssa plays second base for the Yellowjackets, rarely letting anything past her on the ground.
"My glove was always my strongest through the sport my whole life, so I never let my at-bats ever affect me in the field," says Alyssa. "Growing up, my father and my brother always pushed me. Starting travel ball going into the summer of 8th grade year I was able to get more work in the infield. Getting ground balls every day, having my coaches teach me every day at practice and at every game to not do this, do that-it was all constructive criticism and I took that to mind and it just worked."
This season, Alyssa was named one of the captains for the softball team and was also a captain of the volleyball team last fall. She was that squad's libero, leading the team with 114 digs and 51 aces.
"It was an honor to be named captain for two varsity sports in my senior year," says Alyssa. "I felt that I was probably the one to keep everybody in the game."
For softball, after reaching both the SCC and state semifinals, Alyssa wants nothing more than to better that mark.
"Going to the semis in both the SCC's and the states, we knew what we did. We all hit as a team and we've yet to do that this year," says Alyssa. "If we all come together, nothing will stop us."
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