With Olivia Signorino in rhythm, Penn softball continues to look formidable

MIDDLEBURY, Ind. — Before every pitch, Olivia Signorino would walk to the back of the circle and step out. She’d wipe her right pitching hand on a towel tucked in her back pocket before looking to her coach, Beth Zachary, for the next call.

She’d spin the ball a few times in her hand, put her right foot on the pitching mound, then fire.

When Signorino is locked in like this, few pitchers in the state are better.

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The Penn High School junior twirled a six-inning, one-hitter Wednesday in a 10-0 win for the Kingsmen over Northridge in the Class 4A, Sectional 4 semifinals. The victory sends Penn (24-6) to Friday’s final, where it looks to take home a 10th consecutive sectional championship against Northern Indiana Conference foe Elkhart.

“Honestly, it kind of depends on the season; I feel like I switch it up every season,” Signorino said of the pre-pitch routine. “It’s never really exactly consistent. Sometimes, I’ll switch it up during a game. It’s not something I really think about. I’ve always kind of stepped to the back of the circle, but I change what I do every time. It’s just a feel thing.”

Zachary admitted it took some time to get used to Signorino’s style, but she’s OK with it given the results.

“We just have learned how to work with each other,” Zachary said. “I’m sitting there and I’m ready to give the pitch, but she’s doing her routine, and that’s totally fine. I was a pitcher myself, and those things matter. I’m a big proponent of letting my pitchers do whatever they need to do to be prepared.”

Having a routine is big for Signorino, who didn’t have one for most of the regular season last year due to injury. As a sophomore, she battled a hip flexor issue, which left her on the sidelines for the bulk of the season.

She was able to get healthy in time for the postseason, though, which couldn’t have come at a better time for Penn. Signorino was one of the catalysts for the Kingsmen on its Class 4A state championship run, closing out several games after Aubrey Zachary would start the contest.

Her most important work came in the state finals, pitching around a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh to extend the game to extras. Penn went on to win, 2-1, in nine innings.

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Along with just allowing one hit Wednesday, she struck out 10 Northridge batters while walking four. The Raiders only advanced a runner to second base once in the game.

“Just mixing things up,” Signorino said of what worked best against Northridge. “We didn’t stay on one thing. We made sure to keep them on their toes and mix things up.”

For the season, Signorino has thrown 65 innings in 17 appearances. She has a 9-3 record with a 3.12 ERA and 94 strikeouts. An Achilles Heel has been walks, as she’s issued 47 of those. Zachary has worked with the University of Toledo commit, though, to become a more aggressive pitcher.

“She does just a great job,” Zachary said. “She throws hard, she can mix-up speeds. We’re just working on consistency and attacking the zone, and that’s what Olivia does best.”

Elkhart is next for Penn

After Penn cruised past Concord, 14-1, Monday and Northridge in its first two sectional games, the Kingsmen should face a tougher test Friday with Elkhart. The Lions beat Goshen, 11-2, in Wednesday’s second semifinal, its seventh-straight win to bolster its record to 15-8.

When the teams faced off on April 17, Signorino threw a complete game one-hitter in a 7-0 victory. Elkhart coach Matt Walker is bullish about his team’s chances while also understanding the challenge that awaits his young team.

“Our team is different from then to now,” Walker said. “There’s a different confidence level. I have a sophomore behind the plate, I’ve got two freshmen up the middle, I have a sophomore centerfielder and a sophomore left fielder. They’ve grown up really fast. I know our pitching and defense can compete with them, it’s just a matter of if our offense can scratch a couple runs against what they have to offer. … They bring a lot to the table. I respect coach Zachary and her program.”

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: With Olivia Signorino in rhythm, Penn softball continues to look formidable