Former Highlands teammates Jess Cekada, Jaycee Haidze form part of promising young group for IUP softball

Going through a period of adjustment is not unusual for a freshman college athlete. There’s the speed of the game, the amount of work required away from regular practices, not to mention juggling school work and all the other trappings of college life.

But on a team with plenty of other inexperienced players, a freshman might have the added onus of being asked to contribute right away.

That is the situation for Highlands grads Jaycee Haidze and Jess Cekada. After leading the Golden Rams to a silver medal in the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs — coming up just short against powerhouse Beaver in the final — they are part of a young foundation upon which coach Shawna Bellaud hopes to build IUP’s softball team.

Of the 21 players on IUP’s roster, 16 are freshmen or sophomores, eight of each.

“It did make it a lot easier (to adjust) because everyone that’s playing is my friends and roommates,” Haidze said, “so we have good chemistry.”

IUP finished its season 26-23 overall and 17-15 in the PSAC, narrowly missing out on a spot in the conference tournament. Cekada started 39 games and Haidze 29. Haidze counts four pitching appearances among her games played.

Cekada finished with a .297 batting average and 12 RBIs while playing shortstop and third base. Haidze, who also plays shortstop, hit .322 with a homer and 13 RBIs. At times, they played side-by-side: Cekada at third and Haidze at short.

That’s a contrast from their time at Highlands, where Haidze pitched and played first base and Cekada played shortstop.

Haidze committed to play at IUP a year before Cekada, who had been considering IUP anyway because her mother is a professor there.

During the WPIAL title game last spring, one of IUP’s coaches was there catching up with Haidze and took note of Cekada’s play. Haidze, Cekada said, put in a good word with the staff, and Cekada landed a spot on the team alongside her longtime friend.

They have helped each other get through the unknowns of college life and athletics.

“It’s a huge change for both of us, but we have our talks and go at our problems together,” Cekada said. “We figure stuff out together, the ups and downs and everything. … We’re honest with each other, and it’s good to have someone you can do that with.”

Though both made tangible contributions to IUP’s season, both are brutally honest in their self-assessment. They seem only marginally satisfied with their production.

“I’m still trying to work into my confidence,” Haidze said. “I think I’ve been playing well. I’ve had a few errors, but I think that’s more the mental side. I think I just get in my own head because I know I can make the plays.”

Cekada was even more blunt when asked whether she was happy with her play.

“Honestly, no,” she said. “I know my best abilities and what I can do. I’m not producing. There’s a lot of mental going on, and there’s a lot of frustration with how I play and how I think I should be playing.

“Whenever I see other freshmen doing what they can do, (I) wish (I) could do that well. But I have to give myself the benefit of the doubt. I’m still playing. I’m still starting most of the games. I’ve got to appreciate that.”

Both had their moments. In an April 4 game against Clarion, Cekada had three hits and three RBIs. One of the runners she drove in was Haidze, who was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a pair of runs.

Haidze had an eight-game hitting streak from late March through the first week of April, and she hit her first collegiate homer April 25 against Clarion. On the mound, she threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings against Glenville State.

Pitching is the area where Haidze said she would like to contribute more.

“I think it’s more so the mental aspect,” she said. “I think I kind of psych myself out a little bit knowing I need to do well. … I haven’t pitched much, but I want to be able to complete a game.”

Bellaud said Haidze eventually can be a key cog for the pitching staff.

“She throws the ball pretty hard, and she’s got a lot of good spin on the ball,” said the fifth-year coach, “so she’s really effective getting that swing-and-miss pitch. She’s got a presence about her, too. To have her in that circle and have that presence is something I hope we really get to see more from her.”

Bellaud said she also believes Haidze has more power in her bat. Haidze agreed and said it probably is just a matter of time before it shows up in games.

“I’m pretty happy with (the offense),” she said. “At first, it was a little scary, but I think I have confidence in the box. I think I’m a line-drive hitter as of now, but I think as I get more used to the pitching I can create a bit more power.

“When I came in, I just wanted to see how I would do against the pitchers and how well the hitters are going to hit and how to adjust. But now I can actually set goals for myself for what I can do knowing where I’m at right now.”

As they head into the offseason, Haidze and Cekada are looking forward to a summer when they can take what they have learned this season and apply it to next season and beyond. Cekada said the two “definitely” will be working out together.

And with so many other underclassmen getting significant playing time, the Crimson Hawks could be a force in the coming seasons as the group continues to mature.

“I think our lower classes, we have a good bond going on,” Cekada said.

“We’re all friends, and we have the same kinds of personalities, I think even with that we can go far.”