Erika Piancastelli

Last updated

Erika Piancastelli
Erika Piancastelli - batter (Galaxy Stars).jpg
Catcher/third baseman
Born: (1996-06-20) June 20, 1996 (age 27)
Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Women's softball
Representing Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Women's Softball European Championship
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2019 Ostrava Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2021 Castions di Strada Team
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2017 Bollate Team

Erika Piancastelli (born June 20, 1996) is an Italian-American professional softball catcher. She plays international softball for Italy and competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics. [2] [3] Born in Italy, Piancastelli eventually went to play college softball at McNeese State, where she holds multiple career records.

Contents

She is the Southland Conference leader in RBIs, home runs, doubles, slugging percentage and walks, and achieved a rare feat as the four-time conference Player of The Year. She is one of the elite NCAA Division I softball hitters to amass a .400 batting average, 200 RBI, 75 home runs and an .800 slugging career. [4] She played in the inaugural season of Athletes Unlimited Softball league. [5]

Early life and education

Born in Modena, Italy, Piancastelli moved to Carlsbad, California with her family at age five. Her mother is Loredana Auletta, an Italian softball player who competed as a catcher and third baseman on Italy's 2000 Summer Olympic team. [6] Erika graduated from Carlsbad High School in 2014. [7] [8] She attended McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. [4] With the McNeese State Cowgirls softball team, she debuted on February 6, 2015, in a win against Florida Gulf Coast, with a 2/4 performance with a double and a RBI. [9] She would earn conference Freshman and Player of The Year accolades and was recognized Third Team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association after leading the team in hits, average, RBIs, home runs, doubles and slugging, the homers were a new school record and her hits and average career bests. [10] [11] On March 6, Piancastelli hit two home runs to drive in a career-best 5 RBIs against the Sam Houston State Bearkats. [12]

In her sophomore campaign, Piancastelli earned her second conference and NFCA honors. [13] [14] She broke the school records for home runs, slugging and walks, all career highs, the latter stat also set the conference standard. Beginning on March 3–18, the cowgirl went on an 11-consecutive-game hit streak batting: .469 (15/32) with 18 RBIs, 6 home runs, four doubles, 6 walks and slugging 1.687%. [15] Later, she would set a single game McNeese record with 5 walks on April 16, in a defeat of the Northwestern State Demons. [16] She would achieve a second single-game highlight for hits with a perfect day at the plate on May 13 against the Lamar Cardinals, with a 4/4 performance. [17]

As a junior, she earned her third Player of The Year for the Southland and set a career best with 26 stolen bases. Piancastelli joined an elite club by collecting her 50th career home run in only her third year on April 21 vs. the Lamar Cardinals, striking off pitcher Amie Cisneros for an eventual victory. [18] For a final year, Piancastelli was awarded her fourth and last Player of The Year honor. She set her last records with career-best RBIs and doubles. On April 27, Piancastelli tallied her 200th career RBI in a 5–0 win over the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks, hitting a solo home run in the first inning. [19]

Piancastelli currently owns nearly all offensive career records for the Cowgirls, not including hits and triples. [20] She is the Southland leader in RBIs, home runs, doubles, slugging and walks. [21] In all of the NCAA, she ranks 7th in walks and slugging for her career. [22]

Team Italy

Piancastelli competed at the Tokyo Games for Team Italy. She had two hits and drove in a run for the team that ended up placing sixth at the games. [23] Piancastelli followed in the footsteps of her mother Loredana Auletta, who competed in 2000 for Italy softball.

Statistics

[24]

McNeese State Cowgirls
YEAR G AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB SBA
2015551584968.4305418119143.905%35181721
2016571456562.42749221151451.000%69171114
2017611605660.375491318109.681%63182631
2018621685863.3756022120151.899%62221622
TOTALS235631228253.40121275462548.868%229757088

[25]

Athletes Unlimited Softball
YEAR G AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB
20201552917.3271590246.884%370

Related Research Articles

Stacey "Nuvey" Nuveman-Deniz is an American, former professional softball player and current head coach at San Diego State. She played for the UCLA Bruins at the catcher position on-and-off from 1997 to 2002, winning a National Championship in 1999. She also won two Olympic gold medals and one silver medal for Team USA.

Jenny Louise Topping is an American, former collegiate four-time first team All-American, medal winning Olympian, retired professional All-Star softball player. Topping played college softball at Washington and Cal State Fullerton primarily as a catcher. She is best known for being a member of the United States women's national softball team at the 2004 Summer Olympics that won a gold medal. She also played professionally in the National Pro Fastpitch for the Akron Racers.

Megan Good is an American, former collegiate 4-time All-American, right-handed hitting softball pitcher, originally from Mount Sidney, Virginia. She attended Fort Defiance High School in Fort Defiance, Virginia. She later attended James Madison University, where she pitched for the James Madison Dukes softball team. She would go on to be named a 4-time First Team All-Colonial Athletic Association conference, Rookie of The Year, 4-time Pitcher of The Year and also Player of The Year in 2017. She is the career Triple Crown pitching leader for the Dukes as well as the ERA record holder for the CAA conference. She played for the USSSA Pride after being drafted to the NPF 10th overall. She would go on to win the Cowles Cup Championship with the team in her rookie year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natasha Watley</span> American softball player

Natasha Renee Watley is an American, former collegiate four-time first-team All-American, two-time medal winning Olympian, retired seven-time pro-All-Star softball player. Watley played college softball at UCLA, and helped the Bruins win a national championship. She represented the United States women's national softball team at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She won a gold medal, and again at the 2008 Summer Olympics, and won a silver medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Kretschman</span> Baseball player

Kelly Sue Kretschman is an American former nine-time professional All-Star softball outfielder and current head coach for the USSSA Pride of the Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF). Kretschman played college softball at Alabama where she is the career leader in doubles and total bases. As a member of the United States women's national softball team, she won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. She also played in the National Pro Fastpitch with four teams including her longest tenure with the USSSA Pride; where she is the all-time career leader in RBIs, hits, doubles and base on balls. She also owns numerous records for the Tide and is one of select NCAA Division I players to bat .400 with 300 hits, 200 runs and 100 stolen bases for her career.

Tammy Kay Williams is an American, former collegiate four-time All-American, four-time professional All-Star softball player and coach. She played her natural position at shortstop from 2006 to 2009 at Northwestern, as well as the Team USA and Chicago Bandits softball team. She owns Northwestern' softball team all-time career records in batting average, home runs, hits and total bases. She helped lead the Wildcats to a national runner up finish in the 2006 Women's College World Series. Williams was drafted tenth overall by the Chicago Bandits in the 2009 NPF Draft, winning two Cowles Cup championships in 2011 and 2015. She later worked as a sports broadcaster for the Big Ten and an assistant softball coach at Northern Illinois.

Kaitlin Elizabeth Cochran is an American, former collegiate four-time first team All-American, retired softball player. She attended Rosary High School and Arizona State University from 2006 to 2009, where she won the 2008 Women's College World Series title. Also with United States women's national softball team, she won four World Cup of Softball crowns. She holds various records for the Sun Devils in the Pac-12 Conference. She was drafted first overall in the National Pro Fastpitch but elected not to play. She is also one of nine NCAA Division I players to bat .400 with 200 RBIs, 50 home runs and an .800 slugging percentage for a career.

Jenny Dalton-Hill is an American former collegiate All-American softball player and current sports commentator. She played for the Arizona Wildcats from 1993 to 1996 where she won three Women's College World Series championships. Having also played baseball, Dalton-Hill is a former member of the Colorado Silver Bullets and United States women's national baseball team, earning a bronze medal at the 2010 Women's Baseball World Cup. She holds the career Pac-12 and NCAA Division I records in RBIs. She is the first and one of nine NCAA players to hit .400 with 200 RBIs, 50 home runs and an .800 slugging percentage in her career.

Amber Jackson is an African-American, former collegiate All-American and retired professional softball player and former college softball head coach. She played for three years with the Bethune–Cookman Wildcats, from 2003 to 2005, before transferring to the Maryland Terrapins for the 2007 season. She is the season and career leader in numerous offense categories for both institutions, and is the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference career leader in hits, triples and runs in three seasons.

Ali Viola is an American, former collegiate All-American softball player and coach. She played college softball for Nebraska from 1995 to 1998. She owns various records for the school and is one of ten NCAA Division I hitters to accumulate a career .400 batting average with 200 RBIs and 50 home runs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McNeese Cowgirls softball</span> Sports team

The McNeese Cowgirls softball team represents McNeese State University, located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The Cowgirls are a member of the Southland Conference and participate in NCAA Division I college softball. The team is currently led by head coach James Landreneau and play their home games at Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sierra Romero</span> American softball player

Sierra Joy Romero is a Mexican American professional softball player. She formerly was a volunteer assistant softball coach for the Oregon Ducks softball team. She played college softball for Michigan from 2013 to 2016, where she set numerous records and was a four-time All-American. She holds the Big Ten Conference career Triple Crown, along with the total bases and slugging percentage records, simultaneously leading all of the NCAA Division I in runs scored and grand slams. She was the inaugural winner of both the espnW Softball Player of the Year in 2015 and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Player of the Year in 2016, when she also took home the Honda Sports Award Softball Player of the Year and USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year awards. She is one of nine NCAA players to hit .400 with 200 RBIs, 50 home runs and an .800 slugging percentage for her career and was named the #5 Greatest College Softball Player.

Megan Baltzell is an American, former collegiate All-American softball catcher. She played her college career for the Longwood Lancers from 2012 to 2015 and set various school records. She is the Big South Conference career leader in slugging percentage and walks in only three seasons. She was a member of the 2016 Women's National Baseball Team and currently plays slow pitch with the women's national Team Easton. She is also one of nine NCAA Division I players to hit a career .400 with at least 200 RBIs, 50 home runs and an .800% slugging percentage for her career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Chamberlain</span> American softball player

Lauren Nicole Chamberlain is an American retired softball infielder. Chamberlain played college softball for the Oklahoma Sooners softball from 2012 to 2015. A collegiate All-American, she was part of the 2013 Women's College World Series championship team. She is the NCAA Division I career leader in slugging percentage. She also holds the school and Big 12 Conference career lead in RBIs, walks, total bases and runs. She was drafted #1 and played professional softball for the USSSA Pride of National Pro Fastpitch from 2015 to 2018, winning a title in her final season in 2018.

The 2016 Southland Conference tournament was held at Cowgirl Diamond on the campus of McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, from May 11 through 13, 2016. The tournament winner, the McNeese State Cowgirls, earned the Southland Conference's automatic bid to the 2016 NCAA Division I softball tournament. The Championship game was broadcast on ESPN3 with the remainder of the tournament airing on the Southland Digital Network.

Alexandrea "Lexie" Kenedie Elkins is an American softball coach, she served as the assistant coach at Houston. She is also a former collegiate All-American, and retired softball catcher. She began her college softball career at Texas Tech in 2013 before transferring to Louisiana for the 2014–16 seasons, where she set numerous school records. She is the Sun Belt Conference career leader in batting average and slugging percentage in only three seasons. She is also one of nine NCAA Division I players to hit a career .400 with 200 RBIs, 50 home runs and an .800% slugging percentage for a career.

Jessica "Jessie" Ireland Harper is an American, former collegiate All-American, softball player. Harper played college softball for Arizona from 2017 to 2021 at the shortstop position and co-holds the career home runs record for the school and conference with former teammate Katiyana Mauga. Harper is a four-time first-team all-conference honoree and also ranks second all-time for homers in the NCAA Division I. Harper redshirted her senior year in 2020 after the college season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and returned to play in 2021. Harper was selected No. 6 in the Athletes Unlimited Softball draft.

Jocelyn Aloha Pumehana Alo is an American professional softball player for the Oklahoma City Spark of the Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF). She played college softball for the Oklahoma Sooners. Alo was named 2018 NFCA National Freshman of the Year, and named USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year in 2021 and 2022. She is the NCAA Division I career leader in home runs. Alo was drafted first overall by the Smash It Vipers in the inaugural WPF draft.

Amanda Lorenz is an American professional softball player for the USSSA Pride and member of the United States women's national softball team. She played college softball for the Florida Gators, where she was named NFCA National Freshman of the Year in 2016.

References

  1. ↑ Cromwell, Carter (January 20, 2022). "Repping The Motherland; the Erika Piancastelli Story". Baseball Jobs Overseas. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Why Erika Piancastelli Is Loving Her Softball Experience In Italy". Flosoftball.com. June 30, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Game Summary / 試合概要 / Résumé du match / ITA 0 - 2 USA" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Erika Piancastelli - 2018 Softball - McNeese State University". Mcneesesports.com. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Former Cowgirl All-American Erika Piancastelli To Play In Athletes Unlimited Inaugural Season". McNeese State University Athletics. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Former Cowgirl All-American Erika Piancastelli helps Italy earn spot in 2020 Tokyo Olympics". kplctv.com. July 30, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  7. ↑ Weathers, William (May 16, 2017). "McNeese State catcher Erika Piancastelli, a native of Italy, surpasses all of her expectations". The Advocate. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. ...close-knit environment that reminded her of own family that moved from Modena, Italy, to California when she was 5.
  8. ↑ Salvini, Mario (April 21, 2016). "Erika, miglior fuoricampista negli Usa". La Gazzetta della Sport (in Italian). Retrieved June 27, 2018. Quando aveva 5 anni la famiglia si è resferita in California, a Carlsbad.
  9. ↑ "Softball Opens Season In Dramatic Fashion". Mcneesesports.com. February 6, 2015. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Piancastelli Named SLC Player, Hitter and Freshman of the Year". Mcneesesports.com. May 5, 2015. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  11. ↑ "2015 ALL-AMERICAN AWARDS". Nfca.org. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Erika Piancastelli Homers Twice In Win Over Sam Houston State". Mcneesesports.com. March 6, 2015. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Piancastelli Named Southland Player and Hitter of the Year". Mcneesesports.com. May 9, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  14. ↑ "2016 ALL-AMERICAN AWARDS". Nfca.org. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  15. ↑ "2016 Softball Schedule". Mcneesesports.com. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Softball Clinches SLC Series Over NW State With DH Win Saturday". Mcneesesports.com. April 16, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  17. ↑ "No Doubt-Cowgirls are NCAA bound after 5-2 win over Lamar". McNeese State University Athletics. May 13, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Cowgirls Split DH With Lamar Friday". Mcneesesports.com. April 21, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Piancastelli Breaks Southland HR Record Flores Pitches A Gem, Cowgirls Clinch Tournament Berth". Mcneesesports.com. April 27, 2018. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  20. ↑ "2021 McNeese Softball Record Book" (PDF). Mcneesesports.com. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Southland Softball" (PDF). Southland.org. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Division I Softball Records" (PDF). Ncaa.org. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Piancastelli". Olympicssoftball.wbsc.org. July 27, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Archived Team-By-Team Final Statistics". Ncaa.org. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Player Stats". Ausports.com. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.