Poland softball standouts choose colleges

POLAND

Poland junior pitcher Erin Gabriel verbally committed to the University of Tennessee and junior pitcher/third baseman Jenna Modic committed to Miami (Ohio), while senior outfielder Adriana Sikora has chosen Division III Ohio Northern.

Gabriel, The Vindicator’s female athlete of the year last June, went 21-1 last year with an earned run average of 0.37, surrendering just 33 hits while helping the Bulldogs advance to the Division II state championship game. She struck out 318 batters in 141 innings to earn first team All-Ohio, all-conference and all-district honors. Gabriel, who batted .560, was also named Gatorade’s Ohio player of the year and was the first Ohioan to be named to the U.S. Junior National team.

Modic batted .501 with a slugging percentage of .764, leading the Bulldogs in home runs, doubles and RBIs. She went 9-1 on the mound with 104 strikeouts in 67 innings. She earned first team All-Ohio, all-conference and all-district honors.

Both players earned full athletic scholarships.

Sikora, a two-year starter, batted .471 with a slugging percentage of .624. She earned second team All-Ohio honors and first team all-conference and all-district honors. She was accepted into ONU’s pharmacy program.