By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
Hannah Olshevski and her Robbinsville High School softball teammates have been through this before.
They followed in the footsteps of Lauren Fischer and Rebecca Freeman in reaching a Little League World Series on their own, and now they’d love to see history repeat itself, this time as they aim for back-to-back Group II state championships after the graduation of Fischer and Freeman.
”When we were younger and they went to the World Series, that set such a goal for us,” said Olshevski, a junior. “I don’t think any of us thought it was possible to reach that far until they did. We worked hard the next few summers. Having to live through that, and now having won another state championship, that helps to keep that in mind what the standards are in Robbinsville.”
This year’s Robbinsville group will try to live up to the impossibly high standards under a new coach, Niki Cognigni, a former scholarship player at the University of Pittsburgh after graduating from nearby Pennsbury High School in Pennsylvania. She remains an active travel coach.
”When I got this job, I was very excited,” Cognigni said. “I love coaching. It’s close to home. And I know the program is a good program and the tradition over there is something to look forward to also.”
Cognigni has her own big footsteps to follow. She takes over for Christine Cabarle, who won a pair of state titles in her tenure.
”We’ve had to remind them multiple times they are a new team,” Cognigni said. “They have to find their way to gel this year and not go off last year with the Fischer-Freeman era. It is a new team. We have a new pitcher-catcher, and for any team that’s going to be tough to go off of. Hannah has stepped in and done what she needs to. Our defense needs to be stronger behind her.”
Olshevski pitched sparingly in her first two years with Fischer getting nearly every start while Freeman caught every game. Now it’s Olshevski pitching to Morgan Psiuk.
”It’s definitely a lot of pressure to follow Fischer,” Olshevski said. “I’ve been looking forward to starting for a while. It’s exciting. I just want to go out there and do my best.
”Me and Morgan, after pitching a while, we’re starting to get in a rhythm and know what to call when. I’ve known her for a while. She used to catch when we were younger then took some time off. Then she’s been catching me in travel a bit. Every game gets a little easier.”
On Tuesday, Robbinsville bounced back from its first loss of the season with a 7-1 win over Hamilton. Olshevski was perfect through three innings and allowed only one hit in her four innings while striking out six. Sam Deck pitched the final three innings and struck out four.
”It was a good feeling to win,” Olshevski said. “We just wanted to come out tonight and play strong and not make many errors and hit the ball. I think it was great to come off a loss like we did today.”
Robbinsville put together 14 hits for its best offensive showing of the year. They had managed just one run in a loss to Toms River North on Saturday. They beat Hightstown, 4-2, and Steinert, 4-3, to start the season in games that were more challenging than Robbinsville had hoped they would be.
”It’s definitely not what I was expecting,” Olshevski said. “I think it’s probably going to happen pretty often. All the teams around here are really strong. I think it’s going to be a battle all year. It was great to see we could fight through those game and come out with a win.”
Olshevski drove in the Ravens’ first run against Hamilton on a sacrifice fly in the first inning that scored Leanna Gearhart, Robbinsville’s most consistent hitter in the early going this season. Felicia Schumacher’s two-run inside-the-park home run highlighted the offensive output. Megan Hevey, Psiuk, Julia Perhacs and Sara Motusesky all drove in runs. Cognigni is hoping to see that offense continue to drive in runs.
”As long as our defense can stay in the game, it’s pretty much going to be an offensive battle every game,” she said. “In the Steinert game, we had a couple errors even that shouldn’t have been errors. The lack of time on the field (due to weather) is hurting our infield.
”Offensively, the pitchers we face, we just have to be ready for them. Offense is what we have to work on more than defense.”
The Ravens are adjusting to all the changes in their lineup. They switched things up again Tuesday.
”I think they’ve responded well to it,” Cognigni said. “I’m still trying to figure out them. Each game, they’ve progressed. Right now, we’re in the process of moving girls around a bit. From the start of the season, I knew who was playing where and that’s changed in the last four games. We’re trying to figure out the best nine and where to put each of them to make the team better.”
The Ravens had to prove themselves all over to Cognigni, who hadn’t seen any of them play before she took over.
”It does feel pretty different,” Olshevski said. “The people coming back, most of us are in all new positions. We have a new coach. There’s a lot of change, but I like it.”
The Ravens have heard too many questions already about overcoming their graduation losses and if they can maintain the program’s success. Robbinsville is using its games to show that it can be just as good as ever, and it knows there won’t be any easy wins.
”Our first two games have shown everyone is coming out and playing their best against us,” Olshevski said. “We just have to come out and play our best.”
Robbinsville can help its chances if its offense can kick into gear. Olshevski believes it’s just a matter of time before it comes around to the usual.
”I think we’re going to be just as strong,” she said. “Leanna is hitting like crazy. I’m personally in a slump, and hopefully I’ll get out of that. In the close games, we’ve had a couple people step up and get big hits. A freshman, Sara, got the game-winning hit. And Felicia is coming back again. We have a bunch of strong girls on the team.
”I think once we start playing more, we’ll be fine. Next week, we have five games in a row. Once we start playing every day together and get in a rhythm, we’ll get better and better. We’ll get those timely hits to win games. I think playing together, we’ll definitely improve.”
As for her pitching, Olshevski has been pitching for her travel team consistently, and was ready to step into the circle for the Ravens. She is embracing her new role and has the support she needs behind her.
”There’s not one person on the field I don’t trust to back me up and make the plays,” Olshevski said. “That’s comforting too.”
Cognigni is encouraged by what she has seen in the first weeks on the job, and she is looking forward to getting to know her new team even better.
”This group of girls comes out every day and shows me something new, what they’re capable of doing,” Cognigni said. “It’s promising for the program. They rarely hold back. There are times we’ve gotten into slumps in hitting, but they’ve bounced back. We played an awesome game against Steinert, and I know they’re capable of doing more.”
More is what the Robbinsville girls want. They are used to a high standard. It’s something they’ve been striving for since they were 10-year-olds in Little League.
”High school is definitely different than Little League,” Cognigni said, “but it almost gives them something to play for every time. Since it’s such a high standard, since it’s there, it helps them go out on the field and give it their all. They know the younger girls are looking up to them. They have something they need to continue. We’re going to have ups and downs. It’s going to happen. But every game, they’re progressing.”

