By Dylan Butler
Ellen Sarosy still can’t believe it. For the first time in about 15 years, the Howard Beach native isn’t preparing for another softball season.
Next year, as far as softball goes, has come and gone for the recent Fairfield graduate.
“It’s gradually setting in,” Sarosy said. “Seeing the College World Series on ESPN helps make it a little more believable, but it’s going to take time more than anything.”
After a standout career at The Mary Louis Academy, where Sarosy was a starting shortstop, she moved to center field at Fairfield and capped a solid collegiate career with a pair of spectacular seasons, earning Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors in both her junior and senior years.
Sarosy, a slap-hitting lefty, became the all-time leading hitter in Fairfield history with her 192nd career hit in the final regular season game of her junior season.
She capped her senior season by earning All-Northeast Region honors for a second straight year. Sarosy, who also is the all-time leader in steals at Fairfield, batted .377 with 66 hits.
“It means a lot to have done it this year more than anything,” Sarosy said of being named MAAC Player of the Year for a second straight year. “Last year was a big surprise because it came off a not great sophomore year.”
But the one thing that eluded Sarosy in her collegiate career, which included playing in all 221 games in her four years, was the NCAA tournament.
“Last year we were three outs from the tournament. We were right there,” she said. “This year we wanted to make those last three outs happen, but we didn’t hit at the end. It would’ve been nice to end my career in the NCAA tournament.”
But now that’s all behind her. Without the option of a legitimate professional league, Sarosy has played her final softball game. The next obstacle for the finance major is getting her career started in a tough job market.
And she hasn’t ruled out coaching, either.
“Maybe down the line,” she said. “Right now I need a little time away. I need to be able to separate wanting to play and coaching, but I’d love to coach.”
Rozema earns Big East honors
Although his ultimate goal of making the Big East tournament wasn’t realized, St. John’s junior shortstop Mike Rozema did get some recognition by the Big East conference, earning first-team All-Big East honors.
Rozema, who was the first Red Storm shortstop to earn first team honors since Giancarlo Diprima in 1998, led the Red Storm and was third in the Big East with a .408 batting average, which was also tied for fifth best in St. John’s history. The native of Fair Lawn, N.J., led the Red Storm in nearly every offensive category, including batting average, at-bats (196), hits (80), runs scored (44), runs batted in (33) and on-base percentage (.460).
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by email at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
