Red Hot Renegades

Outquotes: “I feel like we have the talent to finish at the top of our division. Once we get into the playoffs, our goal then becomes to win as many playoff games as possible.” —Vincent Miller, girls’ softball coach

Coming off a commanding 18-1 win against the Baruch College Campus High School Blue Devils, the Renegades, Stuyvesant’s girls’ softball team, advanced to a 4-0 record in the Manhattan A League. Unfazed after Baruch struck first with one run in the first inning, the Renegades responded with 18 unanswered runs to seal the game and force mercy on the Blue Devils. This success was in large part due to the pitching excellence of senior and captain Paige Wolfing, who allowed just two hits in the game’s four innings. This win can be added to their list of blowouts, joining East Harlem (29-4), High School of Environmental Studies (28-7), and High School for Health Professions and Human Services (33-18). Defeating their big division rival in Baruch has served as a great motivator for the Renegades as they gear up to handle the second half of the season. Outscoring their opponents by a resounding total of 108-30 this season, the Renegades have established themselves as titans within the division.

Winning isn’t a new phenomenon to the Renegades, as they coursed through the 2020-2021 season with an undefeated 9-0 record, ending the season as first in the Manhattan C League. They dominated during the pandemic season, only conceding three points in total while dishing out 56. Still, not everything was simple for the Renegades, as commuting to games and practice was a large issue for the team during the pandemic. With schools being closed, there was no place for the team to get together and head to practices and games. However, the pandemic did not shake the winning mentality of the Renegades. Regardless of remote learning and the limitations set by COVID-19 on the PSAL, the players stayed committed to the team and set their sights on winning.

Head coach Vincent Miller has played a crucial role in establishing the winning mentality of the team, and he does not plan on giving that up anytime soon. In fact, he feels more confident about this season since schools are back open. “I would say this season has been easier to navigate because everyone is back in school,” Miller said. Entering the season with high hopes, the Renegades have a solid roster of 22 players under the leadership of senior captains shortstop Alison Chan, pitcher Wolfing, and first baseman Francesca Nemati. Having been on the team since their freshman year, they work to make sure that winning culture translates to the locker rooms. Coming out of the pandemic, the team is very young, with many new freshmen and sophomores. Though assimilating these players into the team may seem like a great challenge, they have come together with ease. “As the season has progressed, they have definitely warmed up to each other and to the team and gotten a lot closer,” Nemati said.

The team has been firing on all cylinders, with the captains all batting at the top of the lineup; juniors Caitlin Wong, Venus Wan, and Jovana Simic dominating the outfield; junior Marion Rambler and sophomore Sonia Atlas keeping check of the infield; and freshmen Charlotte Sternbach and Ava Maddox contributing to the starting lineup. In addition to the starters, the entire team works toward their success. “Every player is crucial no matter if they are on the field or in the dugout. What makes me the most happy is the energy that we bring to our games,” Wolfing said.

The team’s strength is rooted in the members’ unity and willingness to develop alongside one another. The team, led by a great group of captains and a young core, is willing to make one another better, whether it be through frequent practices or undying support from the dugout. “The improvement and talent that we’ve seen so far is incredible, and we’re definitely a team to look out for this season,” Chan said.

Chan is not the only one with great aspirations for the Renegades. With such a commanding start to the season, the Renegades hope to make a deep run into the playoffs. Though their schedule will get more formidable, facing opponents such as 6-0 Beacon High School, there is not much worry about the success of the Renegades. “I feel like we have the talent to finish at the top of our division. Once we get into the playoffs, our goal then becomes to win as many playoff games as possible,” Miller said.

With the Renegades off to such a great start, it will be riveting to see if their just-win culture prevails throughout this season.