×

Howland grad Price consistent at Cal

emily price

One of the keys to success in softball is consistency, and former Howland standout Emily Price has shown plenty of it in her playing career. In fact, Price, a junior shortstop for the California (Pa.) Vulcans softball team, was named to the preseason Schutt Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) National Player of the Year watchlist for the second year in a row.

“Not really,” Price said, when asked if she ever imagined being on such a prestigious list coming out of Howland High School. “The coaches and parents at Howland always raised me to do my best for the team, and not think about myself. Even now, I always feel like I am working towards making contributions to the team and finding ways to do more.”

Price, who said that the transition from high school to college softball was a lot different because of the larger committment one has to make in college, has certainly been unfazed to this point in her career.

Price has been a starter since her freshman year, and has posted a batting average of at least .382 in each of her three college seasons, good enough for a career average of .384 through 118 games (as of Friday).

As a freshman in 2015, Price batted .382 with eight home runs, 46 RBIs and an OPS of 1.100. Along the way, Price led the team with a .364 average and a .533 on-base percentage in the NCAA Division II Nationals, and was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Division Freshman of the Year, among other honors.

“I was really impressed by her energy and her passion for the game,” Cal head coach Rick Bertagnolli — an NFCA Hall of Famer (2013) — said of his first impressions of Price. “She not only plays hard, but she’s having fun doing it.”

Price made sure to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump in 2016, as she upped her average to .387 and drew 26 walks in 137 at-bats. She was named an NFCA first team all-region for the second consecutive season, as she helped the Vulcans make it back to the NCAA Regionals.

However, despite her individual success in 2017 (a .397 average with eight doubles and 12 walks in 22 games), the Vulcans have endured some team struggles, as they currently sit at 12-10 after winning three out of four over the weekend.

The Vulcans have endured several rainouts and are still trying to find their rhythm. However, Price is confident her team can get back on track before long.

“I think a lot of it is just going back to having fun,” Price said last week. “We’re 9-9, it’s nothing great, but it’s nothing bad. We’ve just got to go out there and push ourselves harder in practice and games.”

Price’s passion for the game started at a young age, as her father and mother both played the game, and she was coached by her father, Sean, while at Howland. Emily even got to play her senior year with her sister Sara, a then-freshman for the Tigers.

Despite offers from Division I schools, Price knew that there was something different about Cal.

“The big difference at Cal is that I’d be playing under a title-winning coach,” Price said. “And the academic side was just as great. Having that balance was really important to me, and I don’t know if I could have managed to do both (school and softball) anywhere else.”

The business and computer information double major with a concentration in advertising carries a 3.958 GPA on a Vulcan team that has a team GPA of 3.6. Price has managed to do an exceptional job of balancing all of the challenges that come with being a college athlete, and Bertagnolli believes that perseverance makes her a role model to the rest of the team.

The two-time Division II national champion coach added that Price has really stepped up her leadership in 2017, which can only help a Vulcan team turn things around going forward.

“It’s her work ethic (that makes her so special),” Bertagnolli said. “Coaches always talk about those cliches of sacrifice, dedication and passion, but it’s another thing to back those up. You have to be the action and reaction of those things and Emily’s done just that.

:I’m not a big fan of statistics, but to have a .382 average, a slugging percentage over .500 and a 3.958 GPA, that really tells you something about her.”

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
     

Starting at $4.85/week.

Subscribe Today