South Range pitcher Samantha Susany throws a pitch during last season’s regional semifinal against Tuslaw. Staff file photo / Neel Madhavan

BEAVER TOWNSHIP — Returning one starting pitcher usually provides a good foundation for a team heading into a new season. South Range is returning two.

The Raiders return seniors Juli Stachowicz and Samantha Susany from a regional semifinal team that went 22-7 a year ago. The duo complements each other with their varying pitching styles, while also providing a wealth of experience that the team can lean on throughout the upcoming season.

“Sam’s got really good offspeed and Juli’s throwing the ball with a lot of gas this year,” said head coach Jeff DeRose. “Just to have them with the experience they got with all the innings last year, Jayli (Wilt) pitched a little bit too, but to have them back with their confidence level — I think they’re really pumped for this year and they know how far we can go.”

Stachowicz and Susany both have a variety of pitches in their arsenal, but it’s the difference in arms that gives them an edge in games. Stachowicz is a lefty, while Susany throws right handed.

“That’s a really big thing in softball,” Susany said. “It kind of throws hitters off when they come up to the plate and they see the different arms. But I think we’re the same in that we both have really good spin on our balls and we know what to throw in certain counts.”

Stachowicz added that not only does the difference in arms throw hitters off, but the difference in spin, even on similar types of pitches, can affect the batters at the plate, as well.

“Our pitching is going to keep us in games, for sure,” DeRose said. “They’re going to get hit, but I would put these two pitchers up against anybody to be honest.”

Not only does South Range return its two aces in the circle, but the Raiders are also bringing back the bulk of their lineup.

Of the 10 players that batted in the team’s season finale last year, nine return for South Range, with now-graduated lead-off hitter Reagan Irons being the lone departure.

Second baseman Jamie Feren and catcher Kelly Szolek are the Raiders’ two other senior returners, both of whom batted at the top of the lineup last season for South Range.

“We definitely have a good core group that’s been here with experience,” Szolek said. “But I think with our senior class having that experience of making it to states and being in that state championship game (in 2021), that’s where we want to be and we really want to be able to make it back to that game.”

The Raiders also bring back a pair of juniors in Madison Dado and Gretchen Bartels, who will both continue to start in the outfield.

But DeRose and the senior class are also excited about the young talent coming up through the team. Wilt, Riley DeCiancio and Giada Pauline are sophomores that all saw considerable playing time last year as freshmen and DeRose said he expects each of them to take a step forward this season.

“Giada won her spot last year off of a junior — she played well towards the end of the season and she deserved it,” DeRose said. “Jayli ended up being my (designated player) last year — she hits the ball really well and I just have to find her a spot in the field. She’s very fleet-footed, and I can’t keep her bat out of the lineup. Riley DeCiancio, I expect big things from her, but she’s playing injured right now, so who knows what’s going to happen.

“It’s not just everybody that returned — it’s those girls that were here last year with us and watched the speed of play at the varsity level. They’re ready. So they’re getting their chances. They’re not lighting it up (yet), but they’re doing well.”

Of the freshmen, DeRose also added that Keira Brogan, a transfer from Canonsburg, Pa., could make a splash in her first year of high school competition.

With pitching and experience as two of the Raiders strengths, DeRose said his squad will rely on its power hitting offensively, but still needs to clean up some things with its defense and fielding heading into the season.

“We’re not very fast — actually only two of our girls can really run, Dado and Giada are our fastest players, speed-wise,” DeRose said. “Thank God we have power because then we won’t have to use the speed as much as we think we would need it. Our defense gets a lot of work. When we (scrimmaged) Louisville, there were a couple situations where the defense was challenged and didn’t know what to do with the ball. It’s kind of like we had a brain fart. But we’ll get that worked out and we’ll be fine on the defensive side of the ball.”

The Raiders will open the season next week with a pair of series against Northeast-8 foes Jefferson and Niles before they head to Myrtle Beach in early April for a spring break tournament against national competition.