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07/26/2019 12:00 AMGigi Russo was a key contributor to the North Haven softball squad while serving as the Indians’ starting catcher for the past three seasons. A recent graduate, Gigi excelled defensively behind the plate and worked well with stalwart pitcher Lauren Card. Gigi used her savvy as a backstop to decide what pitches Card would throw in order to baffle opposing hitters.
“My travel coach trained me really well to call the right pitches, when to call them, and how to call them. I’ve been on my own ever since,” says Gigi. “At first it was difficult, because I didn’t have the experience calling pitches, so I wasn’t sure what to call at certain times. Once I was doing it repeatedly, it became muscle memory.”
Gigi and Card have been best friends since the 6th grade. The bond between the two of them made it easier for Gigi to push the right buttons when calling the game for Card.
“If we’re in the game and I see a pitch isn’t really working, that’s when a timeout comes into effect. I talk to her about what’s going on, ask if we should do things differently, and she knows how to adjust,” Gigi says. “She’s the kind of pitcher you can work with easily. She doesn’t make it hard.”
Head Coach Karen Castagnola feels that Gigi was a perfect fit for the Indians at the catcher’s position. Castagnola says that Gigi did a great job of calling pitches and communicating with her colleagues on the field.
“Gigi is a smart catcher, and she’s really smart with what she does. If I want something specific, she’ll look over and throw what we want, but really, we haven’t had to do that much at all,” says Castagnola. “I love her behind the plate. She’s a natural leader, and she’s always talking with her teammates.”
Even though she wasn’t a captain this year, Gigi knew that she would be relied upon to take on major leadership role every time she donned the catcher’s gear.
“Personally, I like to have control of the game,” Gigi says. “Catcher has the ball mostly every part of the game, and I love the responsibility.”
Gigi also provided some power for North Haven in the batter’s box. Gigi typically batted out of the cleanup spot, but was comfortable with wherever Coach Castagnola put her in the order.
“Coach felt it was a good idea to spread the power in the lineup, and it worked out well,” says Gigi. “My batting coach would always do drills with me, and my strength came along. I didn’t realize I was a power hitter until I got older.”
Gigi has signed on to continue her softball career at Division II Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts. Gigi decided that she wanted to play for the Greyhounds after she met their coach at a travel clinic.
“The recruiting process was very long, but in the end, it was worth it. When I first got there, all the girls were very welcoming and understood what it was like for me, because they were me once. The Assumption team is like a family, and everybody showed nonstop support for each other,” Gigi says. “All the work I’ve put in throughout the years makes it all worth it and even more exciting. I feel very accomplished by that.”
Gigi helped North Haven win an SCC title last year and then contributed to a 22-win campaign that featured appearances in the SCC final and the Class L state semifinals this season. The success of the Indians’ softball team made Gigi love the game even more, and she feels proud to have played for such a prestigious program.
“It was very exciting, because we all wanted the same thing. We were all shooting for the same goals, which made it easier to play,” says Gigi. “We made it far and I’m proud of the team, but as a whole, it was really awesome to be a part of a team that comes together when it matters. It has been a pleasure playing with this group of girls.”