Thursday, November 16, 2017
By Greg Gulas
VIENNA
Softball standout Addy Jarvis is a strikeout machine who has whiffed 579 enemy batters in just 385 innings of work.
She’ll take a 47-8 overall mark into her senior season this spring with the Mathews Mustangs after putting an end to the recruiting process Wednesday when she inked her national letter-of-intent at the school by announcing that she will attend Youngstown State University.
“I went on several visits that were over four hours away, but this is home and I am both happy and excited about the opportunity to play at Youngstown State,” she said. “YSU was the last school that I visited, but coach [Brian] Campbell recruited me all along and was at many of my games. I really like the idea that my grandpa [George Pesta] and parents will have the opportunity to see me play a lot of games.”
Jarvis, who is also a volleyball standout, is playing her senior season for the Mustangs after attending Hubbard Schools since seventh grade.
A second baseman or shortstop when she isn’t on the mound, Jarvis started for the Eagles since her freshman year and was named Hubbard’s “Most Valuable Player” all three varsity campaigns.
Mustangs head coach Jim Nicula, who is in his seventh season at the helm, has led Mathews to six consecutive Northeastern Athletic Conference championships while the team has won six of the last eight district crowns.
They were regional titlists in 2012 and Division IV state runners-up that same year.
“Addy is one of the most competitive kids around and an excellent student in the classroom,” Nicula said. “She trains feverishly for the sports that she is playing and has played for some excellent summer travel teams. Some pitchers are one-dimensional, but Addy is anything but. She’s versatile, can play anywhere and is also a phenomenal hitter. Her bat is as important as her arm and YSU is getting a really great all-around player.”
Nicula, who is 139-34 overall during his tenure at the school, is counting on Jarvis’ leadership as well this season.
“We graduated six seniors, but have a nice core of players, including four seniors that return this year,” he added. “Addy will now be one of our five senior leaders.”
As a freshman with the Eagles, Jarvis pitched and played second base, compiling a 12-1 overall mound mark with a 0.71 ERA in 91 innings of work.
She struck out 162 batters, led the team in batting with a .498 average, hit four home runs and helped the team to a 19-6 overall mark and the district semifinals.
She was a first-team All-American Conference White Tier selection, also earning second-team all-NEO honors.
As a sophomore, she was 15-6 on the mound, posted a 0.60 ERA and in 147 innings of work, struck out 192 enemy batters. She led the team with a .499 batting average and hit three home runs as the Eagles went 19-6 overall and advanced to the district finals.
She was a first-team AAC White Tier selection, AAC White Tier “Player of the Year” and earned all NEO honorable mention laurels.
Her junior year she went 20-1 on the hill with a 0.50 ERA as the team went 22-3 overall and advanced to the district semi-finals once again. She worked 147 innings and registered 225 strikeouts, leading the team in batting with a .579 average as she hit six round-trippers and added 54 runs batted in.
She was named to the AAC White Tier first-team for a third straight year and for the second consecutive season, was AAC White Tier MVP.
For her efforts she was named all-State first team, also earning first-team all-NEO laurels as well.
Until her sophomore year she played summer travel ball for the Pittsburgh Spirit of the Premier Fast-Pitch League, played with the Beverly Bandits as a sophomore and last season returned to the Bandits where she went 11-0 on the hill with a 0.60 ERA worked 33 innings and struck out 65 enemy batters.
She also batted .300 with five home runs.
Her high school coach, Kenny Miller, was also her coach with the Bandits.
“Kenny coached my sister in travel ball and she also served as an assistant coach,” Jarvis said. “Kenny and Carl Jurenevich are the two main reasons that I started pitching.”
Miller called her a great player and an even greater person.
“Addy is a great kid who strives to be the very best every time she hits the field,” Miller said. “I have known her since she was really young and she will do well at YSU. I wish her the very best.”
Jarvis is looking forward to playing her senior season for Nicula.
“Coach Nicula is an upbeat guy, is committed to the team and program and makes sure that the players are all committed as well,” she said. “We all have one goal and that is to win, have fun and get to state. If we bear down and stay focused, then state is well within our reach.”