Sevilla healthy, ready to return as leader for Panthers in infield

It’s the top of the fifth inning on Sept. 29 and Pitt’s softball team leads Youngstown State by two runs. With the Panthers on the field, they have a chance to hold their opponent to zero runs scored in the inning, giving them an advantage in the last stretch of the game.

Youngstown State’s Courtney Ewing walks up to the plate against Pitt junior pitcher Alexa Larkin. One fast pitch and Ewing makes direct contact with the ball — a line drive to second base.

Pitt’s Maggie Sevilla quickly fields the ball and takes, one, two, three steps to re-position herself for a throw to first base. Ewing’s out.

Head coach Holly Aprile now has one of her leaders back in the infield after Sevilla missed nearly the entirety of the 2013 spring season.

“It’s going to help us a lot just because she’s one of our most outspoken, kind of bold personalities on the infield,” Aprile said. “She kind of creates a really good tone and attitude in the infield, in particular, and with the team.”

It’s hard to believe that just seven months ago Sevilla was watching her team from the sidelines due to an injury suffered when attempting to field a routine ground ball at second against Western Michigan last season.

Already seven games into the 2013 season, the then-sophomore tore her medial collateral ligament and medial patellofemoral ligament, which connects the femur to the knee.

The combination of these two injuries forced Sevilla to make a crucial decision: whether or not she should redshirt her sophomore year.

“It took me weeks. I talked to my parents and coaches about [the decision],” Sevilla said. “I felt that was best for the team.”

This decision was tough on Sevilla because she had to decide between losing a year of eligibility or preserving a year of play so she could recover. Either way, Sevilla would have found herself off the field that she loved so much and away from the team she became so close with.

Before her injury, Sevilla had a team-high batting average of .476, which would not be matched by any other player the rest of the season. She was also named to the Aggie Classic All-Tournament Team, at which she had a total of six hits, including two RBIs and two doubles.

“No matter what sport, whenever you have someone in the starting lineup and this happens, that affects your statistical outcomes. It affects you,” said head coach Holly Aprile.

Viewing her teammates from the perspective of the sidelines gave the junior a new appreciation for the game that she loves.

“Being hurt really gave me a new insight, I saw [the game] from the coaches’ end and I just appreciate everything so much more,” said Sevilla.

Over the summer, as she began to recover from her injuries, Sevilla participated in a slow-pitch softball league to stay on top of her game, as well as to help return her body to game-ready form.

“This summer, I just focused on getting my ground balls back in, and I played a lot of slow-pitch softball,” Sevilla said. “I didn’t play fast-pitch because I didn’t want to hurt my knee too much, so I just rehabbed and weight-lifted and did everything I needed to do to get back on the field.”

Moving into the spring season, Sevilla’s focus lies on re-establishing a rhythm in the batter’s box. 

“Just getting my swing back on par, not getting too anxious at the plate, because I just want to hit as much as I can,” Sevilla said.

Now that Sevilla has returned, junior third-base player Carissa Throckmorton enjoys having Sevilla’s aggressiveness back in the infield.

“She pushes everyone to go after every ball, and if we make a mistake, she’s always picking us up,” Throckmorton said. “It’s good to have her personality on the team and always pushing you.”

Sevilla was dynamic at the plate during the Youngstown State Classic and communicated effectively on the field with her teammates, creating a familiar atmosphere the Panthers were used to experiencing before her injury.

“She really commands her position well, and that helps to set a tone,” Aprile said. “It’s not that the other girls don’t do it as well, but she really knows her position well. She’s played it for a long time and just commands it.”

During the 2013 spring and fall seasons, many changes were made to the team. Positions were rearranged, new recruits were added to the roster and the returning starters gained experience after their 19-29 season. 

Despite the transitions made from season to season, Sevilla’s attitude remains constant.

“I feel like I haven’t missed a beat,” beamed Sevilla, “I’m just so excited to be back.”