Springfield Second Baseman Builds On Rich Zappone Softball Tradition
BY ANDREW ROWER — MIRROR SPORTS
The 2010 softball season marked the end of another outstanding high school career for another outstanding Springfield player with the last name of Zappone.
Building on the tradition set by big sister Christine, Jess Zappone led the Blue Devils to a state final four appearance this year and gained second-team All-Ohio honors in the process.
She led the team with 29 runs, eight doubles, two triples, four home runs and a .619 slugging percentage. Her solo homer in the regional finals helped Springfield dethrone defending state champion Elyria and send the Blue Devils to Akron.
“Obviously, she was a huge part and played a huge role,” said Springfield softball coach Rob Gwozdz, “but what was even more important was what she did behind the scenes at practice and keeping the team together and just really being a quiet leader. She just had an amazing senior season.”
Jess broke onto Springfield’s varsity roster as a sophomore in 2008.
As a leftfielder, she batted .383 with 31 hits, 17 runs, 20 RBI, six walks and five stolen bases.
Christine, a senior that year, earned first-team status on both the league and district teams.
The Blue Devils finished the season with a 22-7 record, earned sectional and district titles and were regional finalists.
The following year, Christine was playing for Owens Community College and Jess took over for her big sister at second base.
In doing so, Jess got her first taste of postseason accolades when she was named second-team all-league and third-team all-district for putting up a .305 batting average with 25 hits (six for extra bases), 27 runs, 17 RBI, 11 walks and four stolen bases.
“It starts with Joe and Stacey (Zappone),” Gwozdz said. “They are great parents and great supporters of the program who have obviously raised great, great kids.”
“My mom and dad teach good morals,” Zappone added. “Growing up, we were always involved in some sort of sport. I think the athletic ability was just there. The good spirits that my mom and dad taught us helped that skill come along.”
As a junior that year, Jess helped Springfield to a 23-3 season that included a sectional championship.
With Christine finishing up her last year at Owens this year, Jess and the Blue Devils began the 2010 season with high hopes.
In addition, when the team lost its leadoff hitter before its first game was even played, Jess’ role on the squad increased even more.
“It was (assistant coach) Mike Haas’ idea,” Gwozdz said. “He really thought that Jess should be that leadoff hitter to set the table and get things going and it ended up being a great move. Jess just took it in stride and rolled.”
What followed was her best season as a Blue Devil. She batted .390 and collected 41 hits, 17 RBI, eight walks and a .448 on-base percentage.
“At first I was kind of unsure about it because, of course, I had never led off, but it seemed to have worked out pretty nice over the course of the season,” Zappone said.
That, along with her stellar defensive play, led to first-team selections to both the league and district teams.
It also allowed her to join Kelcee Gwozdz (2005 and 2006), Krista Haley (2008) and Ashlyn Michalak (2009) as one of four Springfield players to receive all-state recognition during Rob Gwozdz’ nine-year career.
“It was just an honor,” Zappone said. “We went to the banquet in Columbus and there were just so many phenomenal players there. It felt good to represent my team.”
Another unique situation came when freshman Ashley, the youngest Zappone daughter, received a call-up to the varsity team late in the season – enabling Jess to play varsity softball with both of her sisters during her high school career.
“Being younger to Christine, I was looking up to her and trying to learn everything that she brought out to the table,” Zappone said. “With Ashley, I felt as if I were Christine – trying to teach her all this stuff and at the same time have a blast. This team is just so much fun and to have that experience with my sisters means everything.”
Gwozdz agreed.
“All three of them work very hard to get where they are and achieve all their goals,” he said. “Those are the type of kids who are the first ones to show up and the last ones to leave and it pays off tremendously.”
With three more years of softball left for Ashley, the three Zappones have already combined to help the Blue Devils to a 127-38 record (65-20 in league play), two NLL championships (three times as runners-up) four sectional titles, three district titles, a regional title (three total regional appearances) and a trip to the state final four.
Although Christine might rejoin the Springfield softball program as a coach next year, Jess’ softball career appears to be over.
She has chosen not to play college ball, but to attend The University of Toledo as a pharmacy major.
“Everybody is shocked in the area’s softball community that she’s not playing at the next level because she did have opportunities, but she’s a straight-A student and got an amazing scholarship and a great opportunity to go to UT,” Gwozdz said.
“As I’m getting older I’m realizing that sports aren’t going to take me for the rest of my life and finding this career is important,” Zappone added. “This education through pharmacy is very tough and the best of the best get in, so I still see that as my competition – not in sports, but yet in school.”
Zappone recently found a job as a pharmaceutical tech and will begin her college career on August 23.
When asked if there were any chances at all that she would eventually consider attempting to walk on to the Rockets softball team, Zappone left her options open.
“I really don’t know,” she said. “I love the sport, but I guess we’ll just wait and see how it plays out.”
As for Ashley, who recorded two hits and scored two runs in three at-bats this year, Gwozdz said the Zappone tradition would almost certainly continue.
“I see her as a multi-purpose contributor at the varsity level next year,” he said. “She’ll put her notch in the softball program – I’m totally confident of that.”