Thursday, October 1, 2026
The South Side softball team finds itself in a bit of a transition this season after losing its manager and some key players from last year’s 11-win playoff squad, but the Cyclones’ new coach believes there is still enough talent to make another postseason push.
After consecutive losses to start the season, the girls finally gave Angelica Gargiulo her first win as the South Side bench boss after obliterating Freeport 15-0 on April 1, one day after the Cyclones got run-ruled at Clarke by a similar 16-0 score. Junior Kaitlyn Ganly and senior Samantha Rodriguez each went 4-for-4 and junior infielder Clare McKenna added three hits and scored three times to lead South Side.
Sophomore pitcher Lily Iandiorio struck out 11 batters for the Cyclones, who have split their first two Conference VI matchups.
The roster has more inexperienced players on it than in recent years and Gargiulo is looking to use the early part of the schedule to devise an offensive and defensive formula that she can utilize more regularly as the season progresses. There are three seniors among the 21 girls, but one is questionable to play this season due to injury.
“Some coaches could say they have their solid nine that will play for them every day,” Gargiulo said. “I feel like I have a very rotating, versatile roster, universal players that I could put anywhere. I always tell them every day is a tryout because I only have three girls that are actual softball players.”
Ganly is 7-for-9 at the plate through the first three games and also had two hits and three RBIs in the Cyclones’ 12-6 season-opening loss to Baldwin on March 28. Gargiulo expects her to be one of the more consistent hitters on the team this spring and lauded her for her catching ability as well.
“She’s a good catcher, knows her game, communicative, calls the pitches and whenever she gets to the plate, there’s definitely a chance that ball is going over the fence,” she said.
Rodriguez, the team’s third baseman and cleanup hitter, is 5-for-10 with a pair of RBIs in the three games. McKenna is 4-for-10 from the leadoff spot and senior second baseman Katie Bee has collected two hits in two of the three games from the two-hole.
Iandiorio is the lone pitcher for now and has struck out 22 batters over 16 innings while also batting .429 on the season (3-for-7). She possesses a three-pitch repertoire on the hill and rarely loses focus during games, according to Gargiulo.
“She’s good,” she said. “Her and Ganly will do a great job leading us for sure. Lily is strong and really pushes through. She’s been pitching every game and closing every game for us.”
Freshmen Jillian Lods and Adriana Marquardt split the first base duties and each has produced three hits over the three games. That’s the same amount as junior center fielder Carly Sottovia and freshman Olivia Urrego, who needed just four at-bats to reach that level.
