Shipley’s Abbie DeSantis is Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week

The sophomore pitcher/third baseman has posted an 0.58 ERA in 36 inning pitched, striking out 64 batters (as of April 28). On April 9, she threw a perfect game against Academy of the New Church. She is batting .444 with seven walks and eight RBIs. Shipley softball head coach Marin Kobb said, “Abbie is a student of the game, always asking questions and seeking advice in order to improve her understanding of the game and in turn, her performance on the field. She is a great listener, making her highly coachable, and she is a supportive and positive teammate.”

Q: You mentioned that the perfect game against ANC was your best performance of the season to date. What was particularly working for you that day?

A: I would say I was hitting my spots and my speed was good. Without these aspects working for me I would not have had a perfect game and 12 strikeouts. Having a supportive defense that day, making plays behind made it possible to pitch a perfect game. After each inning Coach Kobb kept encouraging us, letting us know what to work on, and it just all came together.

Q: What do you think has been the most important thing you’ve learned recently regarding hitting?

A: I was struggling in the fall season with my tournament team, Valley Forge Patriots 18U Elite, and I wanted to work harder on hitting. I was able to do that by staying after winter practices with my coach and getting extra help. Over the years, I have learned that it is important to staying loose, trusting my hands and being confident in the box.

Q: What aspect of your game did you work on most during the off-season?

A: I am always working on pitching. I go to pitching lessons with a pitching coach, I throw to my Dad in the driveway, and weekly winter pitching times with my tournament team all happens in the off season. Early this season I started working with Shipley’s new assistant coach, Maria DiBernardi. Being able to work with her has helped me gain speed on my fastball and learning new pitches.

Q: What do you consider your best pitch? What aspect of pitching are you working on the most?

A: I would say my fastball is my best pitch. I am able to control and locate my fastball and pitch to the batters weaknesses. I can throw my pitch to where they are called for.

Q: As a pitcher, after facing a hitter a couple of times in a game, you probably have a better idea of what to throw her late in a game. Can you give us an example of how this has worked in your favor?

A: As a pitcher, I notice after a few times pitching to a player that they have a tendency to do the same thing, (you learn where a batter is trying to make contact) and this makes it easier to get them out. For example, if a girl comes up to hit and every past time they have bunted, it is a smart idea to throw a high pitch, like a riseball, into the count to possibly make them pop the ball up for an easy out. Having Maria DiBernardi, a former college coach, has been an essential part of my success because she knows how to read batters and can call the right pitch and then it’s my job to hit my spot. Although I try to hit my spot every time, it doesn’t always happen, so it is great to have a great catcher who can frame my pitches. They always say, a pitcher is only as good as their catcher behind the plate.

Q: What is your favorite school subject? What do you think you would like to major in at college? Is there a career path that particularly interests you at the present time?

A: I really enjoy chemistry. I am thinking of majoring in Forensic Science in college. I am really into the idea of using science to be able to help solve crimes and to be able to help investigators by collecting and analyzing evidence.

Q: Who have been your biggest softball mentors, and what was the most important thing each of them taught you about softball?

A: All of my coaches, over the last 10 years, have played an important part in my softball career and all have taught me something. My first softball coach, at age 5, Megan Charitonchick, taught me to love the game and since then I haven’t stop loving softball. Becoming a more advanced hitter and player on the field came from my coach Dennis Moran. He taught me a lot about the IQ of softball and helped me gain most of my strength physically and as a player. My current coach, Dan Hopple, has been a great coach for me because he makes the game so much fun for me. He has spent a lot of individual time and attention to overall improve my softball skills. My most important softball mentor would have to be my dad. His support through all the early mornings games and time spent on the softball field or in our driveway pitching, is truly inspiring to me. He has taught me a lot about softball and shaped me as the person and player I am today. Without his support or dedication to this sport I love, would be really difficult to keep playing.

Q: What is your favorite ballpark and why?

A: I like Citizens Bank Park because of the bell that rights when you hit a home run.

Q: Tell us a little about your pre-game preparation the day of a game.

A: The only thing that I really like to do before a game, other than pumping myself up with music, is to do my hair. I like to have my hair a certain way with a braid.

Q: You wear uniform jersey No. 15. Was there a reason you chose this number – does this number have any significance to you?

A: My nickname is Nickels because I usually wear 55, but since Shipley didn’t have 55, I went with 15 for triple nickels.

Q: Other than softball, what other extracurricular activities do you participate in at Shipley?

A: I also am a member of the Shipley’s varsity volleyball team. I was also part of the leadership committee for the Shipley first mini-THON, and I am on the Yearbook Committee.

Fun facts – Abbie DeSantis
Favorite book: A Long Walk to Water.
Favorite TV show: Friends.
Favorite movie: Wonder Women.
Favorite athlete: Rhys Hoskins.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Drip Too Hard (Lil Baby & Gunna).
Favorite team: Philadelphia Eagles.
Favorite place to visit: Maryland.
Family members: parents Chris and Rebecca, younger sister Sammie.

(To be selected as the Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by her school.)