Gagliardo a leader for Pirates
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Rachel Gagliardo was a leader in every way possible for the West Windsor-Plainsboro High South softball team.
Even when the Pirates senior pitcher was not in the circle, she was helping in other ways.
”She did what she could to get the team to play for each other and get that team concept,” said Pirates head coach Nicky Arias. “She brought more to the table than just being a good pitcher. She was so knowledgeable of the game, when our assistant coach couldn’t make it sometimes, I’d stick her at first base as a first base coach. I could do that stuff. I sent her to scout games for us. I trust her. She knows what to do and everything that needs done.”
Some day, Gagliardo will be a softball coach.
”I definitely could see it in my future,” said Gagliardo. She got her first taste of it last year when she missed a chunk of the season with a break in her pitching hand. She didn’t stay away from the team.
”I called pitches last year,” Gagliardo said. “I would keep a notepad and write down with my left hand what was going on and what happened on each pitch to try to help Rachel (Julius) out.”
Healthy this year, Gagliardo was able to be the main pitcher again for WW-P South, and she made a difference when she pitched. Her year began promisingly when she fashioned a one-hitter against rival WW-P North. The next month, she fired a no-hitter and was a two-out walk in the seventh away from a perfect game in a 1-0 win over Hightstown. To top off the day, she also recorded her 300th strikeout in the win.
Gagliardo was just as impressive at the end of the season. She struck out 11 to lead the 11th-seeded Pirates to a 4-2 upset of sixth-seeded Hunterdon Central in the Central Jersey Group IV state tournament opener.
Gagliardo then kept then-unbeaten Monroe in check for much of the game in the CJ IV quarterfinals before the Pirates’ season finally ended. Gagliardo finished 10-7 with a 2.61 ERA. In 110 innings, she struck out 136 and walked just 24.
Rachel Gagliardo is the Princeton Packet Softball Player of the Year.
”The most important thing for Rachel Gagliardo, her physical skill as a player is clutch, but she’s most valuable player because of her leadership,” Arias said. “Her leadership makes her the player she is. All my seniors had great leadership skills, but she was the heart of the team.”
Gagliardo was one of four experienced seniors for the Pirates. They helped to oversee a mix of talent that went 13-10 overall and stayed in all but a couple of games.
”As a team, we really came together,” Gagliardo said. “I’d say we had a pretty successful season, although we didn’t go as far in the states and Mercer County Tournament as we would have liked. We fought hard. We fought hard against Monroe and upset Hunterdon Central. That was from the senior leadership and everyone believing we could do it.”
The upset was nothing new as Gagliardo had helped the Pirates upset fourth-seeded Howell the year before, 2-1. WW-P South had been the No. 13 seed.
”The Hunterdon Central game was such a big game,” Gagliardo said. “It wasn’t just me pitching. It was everyone coming together. Everyone believed we were going to beat Hunterdon Central. We’ve never done that before. They’ve always knocked us out. It was good in my senior year we could beat them and get back at them. That was one of my better games. I’d say it was better than the North game.”
There were plenty of memorable moments for Gagliardo through her career. She had made an impact early in her career, and became the Pirates main pitcher over her final two seasons. She felt good about the way she finished her scholastic career.
”I was really happy,” Gagliardo said. “I set a personal goal at the beginning of the season to reach 300 career strikeouts. I reached that during the Hightstown game when I also threw a no-hitter. I’m happy the way things turned around this year. It’s great to see my hard work pay off.”
Said Arias: “From last year, she started picking herself back up at the end of last year. She worked hard in the offseason. She was able to be mentally tougher this year. That was the big growth from sophomore and junior year. Early in her career, she’d get down on herself. If she was down this year, she knew she could come back. The mental game was what really shined for her this year.”
Gagliardo understood so many different aspects of the game. It’s something that could make her a good coach some day. She has always been a student of the game.
”When I was little, I would watch my sister’s games,” Gagliardo said. “I’d bring a pen and paper and write down things, like where the ball was hit. Once college softball came on, our family would gather and watch games. Now my dad and I watch and try to predict where pitcher will throw the ball.
”Even junior year, when I was watching more of the game and starting to coach, I was learning more. It was a good learning experience.”
Gagliardo has developed steadily from years of watching and playing the sport. She has seen a bit of everything through the years, which helped groom her into a strong leader this year.
”I’ve always been really competitive,” Gagliardo said. “I played travel my whole life which helped me in high school. Not only do I know a lot of the players, but I feel comfortable in situations. Even as a freshman, I was able to feel confident.
”A lot of times, to make myself feel confident, I talk a lot. It calms me down. Going in as a freshman, I felt confident. Being the oldest person now, and having the experience, it helps.”
Gagliardo has been pitching since she was 9. She followed her sister into the sport, and asked to start pitching after watching some of her sister’s pitching lessons. Gagliardo bloomed into a strong pitcher who will play for Rowan University next year.
”There’s always going to be people ahead of me,” Gagliardo said. “There’s a junior ahead of me there. My main goal coming into Rowan is putting in the hard work and making the hard work pay off. No one’s spot is guaranteed. Even my spot this year wasn’t guaranteed. I had to go fight for it.”
Arias is confident that Gagliardo will put herself in a position to contribute. She has seen it every day during her WW-P South career.
”She’ll work hard to earn any playing time she gets,” Arias said. “Mentally and physically, she’s ready for the college level. It might take some adjusting, but she’ll figure it out quickly.
”Her freshman year, she got playing time with us. In her years for South, she’s been one of our best pitchers, especially since I’ve been here. Her leadership and heart for softball, it’s what she passes along. That kid works hard every day. There was no slacking for her.”
Arias already has a request in for Gagliardo to come back and help coach in the WW-P South program after she studies special education at Rowan. The Pirates would be lucky to welcome their leader back, and Rachel Gagliardo would enjoy coaching at her alma mater.
”I would love to,” Gagliardo said. “I’d love to come back to West Windsor.”