By Steve Barlow
SEYMOUR — Seymour High’s Jenna Geffert already had plenty of experience filling the shoes of her older sister, Raeanne.
“Last year, I was her pinch-runner. That’s what I did,” said Jenna. “The announcer would say, ‘Now running for Geffert, Geffert.”
This year, the announcer can say, “Now pitching for Geffert, Geffert.” The more things change at Seymour, the more they stay the same. Yes, Raeanne graduated after pitching the Wildcats to Naugatuck Valley League and Class M state softball titles in 2016.
Seymour’s Jenna Geffert delivers a pitch during their NVL softball matchup against Holy Cross on Monday. Seymour would blank the Crusaders, 1-0. Christopher Massa Republican-American
But Jenna has stepped into her sister’s shoes and pitched Seymour to back-to-back opening wins over the two teams expected to be its toughest competition in the NVL.
Last Monday, she outpitched Holy Cross’ Sarah Lawton, striking out 10 batters with just five hits and one walk in a 1-0 Seymour win. Friday, Jenna outdueled Torrington’s Ali DuBois, striking out 12 while allowing only four hits and walking five in a 2-1 Seymour win.
Anyone watching would never have suspected Geffert struggled in her first scrimmage this spring, surrendering three runs in the first inning.
“To see her now, she is like a different person from three weeks ago,” said Seymour coach Ken Pereiras. “Right now, she doesn’t pitch as hard (as Raeanne) and she doesn’t have as many pitches, but she’s only going to get better as the season goes on.”
Jenna acknowledged her sister is more overpowering, which means “I have to be a little trickier.”
But she’s not a rookie on the mound, either. She’s been pitching for five years and, like her sister, throws in the summer for the Connecticut Charmers AAU team run by Seymour pitching coach Neil Swanchak.
The Wildcats had to replace four starters from last year’s 27-1 team, most notably the battery. Geffert won a preseason competition with best friend Molly Adamo to take over in the circle, and freshman Kolby Sirowich has been solid behind the plate thus far.
The rest of the lineup is a veteran one with seniors Gina Ferrera (LF), Caitlyn O’Hara (CF), Shari Minalga (2B) and Tori Kellogg (3B), and juniors Becca Johnson (RF), Beca Findley (SS) and Chelsea Avila (1B).
“We’ve worked really hard and we’re a put-together team,” said Findley, whose eighth-inning homer beat Torrington. “We don’t have one star player. We lost Raeanne, but Jenna is taking her place right where she left off.”
Of course, one thing the Wildcats haven’t lost is their swagger.
“They’re happy campers right now,” said Torrington coach Maryann Musselman. “They’re growling. They’re the big dogs, the team to beat.”