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Mount’s Rosenkranz Works Hard
To Be First-Rate Hitter & Catcher

By Steve Tober
for sidelinehatter.com

Sydney Rosenkranz may now reflect a bit more on her days at Mount St. Dominic as her scholastic softball career nears a close and she fully appreciates all that has been the past three seasons, while also looking forward to what is still to come for one of the better catchers and power hitters in New Jersey’s high school softball.

“One of the best decisions of my life has been going to school and playing softball at Mount St. Dominic,” said the senior standout whose go-ahead, solo home run in the sixth inning snapped a 5-5 tie and catapulted the Lions to a 10-5 victory over Immaculate Heart in Monday’s Non-Public, North A state sectional final. “I’ve enjoyed the classes and teachers in school and I’ve been able to play alongside so many of the girls on our team for a long time.

“It going to be sad to have it all end on Friday (4 p.m. against St. John Vianney in the overall Non-Public A state final at Kean University), and then leave the Mount, but I’ll always remember the many good times with my teammates and the tremendous camaraderie which all the teams I’ve been on here have had.”

For her clutch performance in the Non-Public, North A final, and for a splendid recent stretch run and overall season for the Mount, Rosenkranz is the Parisi Fairfield/Sideline Chatter Athlete of the Week.

Rosenkranz, who bats third in the Mount’s deep lineup, will be headed this fall to begin her college career in Division I softball at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn.

While she is certainly ready to take that next step in her softball career, she is still putting the final touches on what has been a superb varsity career and outstanding senior season for one of the state’s better teams as the Lions (24-7) prepare to take on the state’s No. 1 ranked team on Friday.

“I think Syd has been the best player in the county this season,” said Mount coach Rob Stern. “She has been a leader for our team and continues to come through with key hits and doing a great job behind the plate.

“I can’t imagine where we would be without her during our quest to win a state championship.”

Rosenkranz’s offensive numbers have been quite impressive highlighted by her 12 home runs, 39 RBI, a .390 batting average, a .890 slugging %, a .505 OBP and a 1.090 OPS.

Defensively, she has a strong arm, blocks balls in the dirt with efficiency and frames pitches very well.

Mount assistant coach Ashley DeYoung calls the pitches and Rosenkranz in turn works well with both Grace Perez and Erin Toomey in executing the game plan.

“I’ve been working with coach Ashley since I was around 12 years old and she does a great job scouting teams as well,” said the Mount’s veteran catcher. “I enjoy helping to put together a book on hitters we face and it’s a little easier I think in terms of our county because we usually see several teams two or three times a year.

“I look forward to working with my coaches in college when preparing for different teams will be even more involved.”

Rosenkranz, who currently plays travel ball for coach Rachel Coleman and the Stars National program out of Pennsville in Salem County in South Jersey, was immediately impressed with the softball coaches and campus at Quinnipiac where she plans to explore different courses with a possible emphasis on business.

Sydney’s dad Dave, a former basketball player at William Paterson University, runs a graphic design and printing business in Hillside where her mom Jen, who played softball at Northern Highlands High School, also works.

‘I’m not sure what I will do in the long term, but I have an interest in business and I know that Quinnipiac has a lot of different courses I’d like to explore,” she said. “Softball-wise, I like the fact that head coach Hillary Smith is focused on the complete student-athlete and the character of her players, not just what they can do on the field.”

Quinnipiac, which finished 17-25 this spring including a 5-14 mark in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, has players from nine different states and Canada on the roster, including two former New Jersey high school players in junior outfielder Gianna Palmisano of Montville and freshman outfielder/catcher Ally Hochstadter of Marlboro.

In addition to continuing to put in the time hitting and catching, Rosenkranz also enjoys going to the gym and also putting in time trying to improve with speed training at Parisi Fairfield.

“I like to work out and always look to get stronger and faster,” she said. “And softball-wise I’m always trying to improve as a hitter and catcher.”

This summer Rosenkranz will spend some time traveling with Stars National to tournaments in Colorado and Georgia and then it will be time to get ready to go to Quinnipiac where she will report in late August.

“Being a good softball player requires a lot of time and effort, but I always look forward to playing a game I love,” said the Mount senior leader. “High school and travel softball have been great and now I feel I’m ready for the new challenges ahead.”

Follow Steve Tober on Twitter @Chattermeister

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Parisi Speed School has been empowering athletes for over 30 years, since 1992. As the industry leader in youth performance training in the country, they have successfully trained over 1,000,000 athletes to include schools, teams, youth organizations and individual athletes from 7 years of age to the Pros in MLB, NFL, MLS, NBA and WNBA.

Parents and coaches are invited to visit their website for additional information at www.parisifairfield.com or contact their Director, John Cirilo at 973 227-0199.

Mount St. Dominic catcher Sydney Rosenkranz is a superb defender and powerful slugger. She enjoys making the turn and heading toward home plate after her big sixth inning home run for 6-5 lead against IHA in this past Monday's Non-Public, North A state sectional final and is mobbed by her teammates at home plate as Lions are on their way to huge win.

Mount’s Rosenkranz Works Hard To Be First-Rate Hitter & Catcher

Mount’s Rosenkranz Works Hard
To Be First-Rate Hitter & Catcher