Softball: Panthers hold walk-on tryouts, one makes team

There are a select few athletes lucky enough to attend college on an athletic scholarship. For the others, there’s the opportunity to walk on and play at the collegiate level without that scholarship.

Ashlyn Zellefrow, a senior marketing major, is one of those athletes.

She’s played softball since she was young and continued her career throughout her time at Mercyhurst Northeast, a college in Erie.

She’s among the all-time leaders at Mercyhurst Northeast in career hits (80) and career stolen bases (16).

When she transferred to Pitt, Zellefrow didn’t want to give up participating in the sport. On Sept. 4, she gathered at Trees Field with other hopefuls to try out for a walk-on position with the Pitt softball team.

She finished as the only girl to make it through successfully.

Pitt head coach Holly Aprile said the team chose Zellefrow because she has overall talent and a solid arm.

“She’s a versatile player,” Aprile said. “She plays the infield. She’s quick. We feel like we can use her on the base paths and perhaps as a backup for some of our infield positions, as well. We feel like she’ll fit in.”

The open tryouts consisted of an evaluation of overall skills, said Aprile. The athletes hit and fielded balls. They had the option of trying out for a single position or multiple positions.

Zellefrow displayed her skills at third base and shortstop.

“We did stuff like groundballs and throwing to first base, just showing the positions we wanted to try out for,” Zellefrow said. “You could try out for any specific position. We went and we hit balls in the cages and off of a live pitcher, which was another girl trying out.”

Pitchers throw all of their different pitches during tryouts, while catchers are timed on their speed throwing to second base.

“Basically, we want to see the mechanics of the position you’re going to play,” Aprile said.

Aprile said she looks for specific players to fill a need. If she doesn’t need additional pitching, then pitchers are less likely to be chosen for a walk-on spot. After that, she looks for the same athleticism that she wants from her scholarship players.

“Generally, if we choose someone, we have something in mind for them,” Aprile said. “We’re not going to keep someone without a plan in mind.”

Sometimes walk-ons are used as backup position players and sometimes as pitchers, Aprile said. Additionally, catchers are always important, because pitchers need to be warmed up in the bullpen.

“Also, I look for some versatility, if she can play more than one position,” Aprile said.

“I look to see if they’re fast. Speed is always good, because we need base runners, too.”

Aprile said that once walk-ons are chosen for the team, they participate in everything the scholarship players do, including practices, games and road trips.

“Traditionally, walk-ons are chosen every year, although that can change depending on roster spots,” Aprile said.

As for Zellefrow, she said she wants to do as much as she can to make the team successful and to improve her skills throughout the season.

“I don’t know how much playing time I’ll personally get, but if by practicing I can make us collectively better and make me better, then that’s what I want,” she said. “I want to make us better and for us to win every game that we can.”

Editor’s note: Ashlyn Zellefrow is a Pitt News business staff member.