Yough's Odelli, Penn-Trafford's Lichota helping to lead turnaround for John Carroll softball

Jess Lichota and Kaylyn Odelli grew up playing softball in Westmoreland County. Their paths occasionally crossed during scrimmages, and they had heard each other’s names mentioned.

But it wasn’t until they were 150 miles from home that they formed a connection.

Lichota (Penn-Trafford) and Odelli (Yough) are among the players hoping to lead a turnaround for the John Carroll softball team. Under first-year coach Alex Lagesse, a former standout pitcher at Valparaiso, the Blue Streaks won seven of their first 10 games, the program’s best mark in that stretch since 2015.

After their doubleheader split with Hiram on March 21, the Blue Streaks were 8-4.

JCU won 14 games all of last season and just 10 in 2021.

Lichota, a junior, was batting a robust .429 (9 for 21), and Odelli was at .308 (12 for 33) with a team-high 12 hits and eight runs to go with six RBIs through 12 games. During one game, they hit back-to-back in the lineup, and, occasionally, they play next to each other in the field: Lichota at third base and Odelli at shortstop.

In addition to becoming fast friends — Lichota said they often make jokes about their Western Pennsylvania roots — they have come to appreciate each other’s talents.

“She will get to any ball,” Lichota said about Odelli, who has played catcher in addition to the middle infield spots. “We call her a bouncy ball on the field because when she’s on the ground, she’s immediately back up. She’s quick with the ball, and she’s a great hitter, too.”

Said Odelli: “I love her. She’s quite a character. She’s pretty smooth with the ball. She has impressed me a lot this year. She is hitting very well, and she’s been making some great plays defensively overall.”

Odelli added that teammates sometimes refer to Lichota as the “Smooth Operator” because of her fielding. But the team wasn’t quite sure how smooth this season would be. With a new coach, there was, understandably, some uncertainty.

To add pressure, there wasn’t a lot of time to adapt. Previous coach Nicole Loudin resigned in June, and Lagesse wasn’t hired until near the end of October. Odelli said the players essentially coached themselves through fall workouts so they could keep in tune for whomever would take over the program.

“I think the period when we didn’t have a coach really brought us together as a team because we were on our own for like six months,” said Odelli, a sophomore. “So we grew together, held each other accountable, and we were really pushing each other as teammates.”

As it turned out, the transition was, well, smooth.

Lagesse said she tried to get to know the players one-on-one on and off the field. She also has taken a lot of feedback from the players, and Odelli and Lichota, she said, have been valuable in that regard.

“(Kaylyn) is someone I’ve enjoyed talking the game with,” Lagesse said. “My background is predominantly in pitching, so calling the pitches and talking strategy in-game with her has been really refreshing because she sees the game as a whole and on a calm and collected level.

“And Jess as well. They’re always pretty steady, which is something I really appreciate about those two. I think sometimes the game gets moving, and (players) can get a little bit caught up in the game. They stay level-headed.”

Lichota said the change in the team under Lagesse’s brief watch is noticeable. She said there has been a bigger emphasis on strength training, which feeds into Lagesse’s desire for a potent offense.

On a more personal level, Lichota said Lagesse helped her change her approach at the plate. It has enabled her to boost her average as well as come through in pinch-hitting situations, which, Lagesse said, Lichota did well during the Blue Streaks’ season-opening trip to Florida.

In two pinch-hit/late-game appearances in Florida, Lichota was 2 for 2 with a double and a run scored.

“Prior to this year, I was not aggressive at the plate at all,” she said. “I would wait for my perfect pitch. I still think that’s important, waiting for your pitch, but I’ve been a lot more aggressive this year and kind of swinging at first-pitch strikes. I think that makes it easier for me because getting deep in the count kind of stresses me out.”

Odelli, meanwhile, continues to swing a strong bat and play good defense despite a torn PCL. She tore it during her freshman season at Yough and had it repaired via surgery, but she has re-injured it since, causing her to miss time last season.

She said she has no plans to have another surgery anytime soon.

“At this point, I’m just rolling with it torn still,” she said. “I think I’m just going to let it go. Weather changes kind of affect it a little bit. Otherwise, it’s not an issue to me.”

Besides, Odelli doesn’t want to miss out on what has the makings of a watershed season for the Blue Streaks. Long mired in the middle and bottom portions of the Ohio Athletic Conference standings, the team is looking to turn a corner.

The early returns have been promising, and Lagesse said Lichota and Odelli will be a big part of whatever the team accomplishes over the next couple of seasons. Lichota said the team welcomed the new beginning and is hoping to make the most of it.

“I think we played down a lot last year,” she said. “I don’t think we’re going to let that happen this year. We know what we’re capable of. No matter what a team’s record is, we look at each opponent the same. I think people will look at us that way because, as Kay said, we’re not a joke.”