Herricks’ Murciano does it all on the softball field, and has for a long time

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Herricks’ Murciano does it all on the softball field, and has for a long time
Herricks junior center fielder Stefani Murciano, a varsity starter since 7th grade, has smacked six home runs already this season, after batting .818 in 2021. (Photo provided by Herricks School District)

By Michael J. Lewis

Herricks High School softball coach Warren Webster doesn’t understand it.

Stefani Murciano doesn’t understand it either.

After seeing Murciano mash and crush the ball on the softball field for five years now, why are opposing teams still giving her decent pitches to hit?

After all, the bubbly junior who wants to grow up to be a heart surgeon cuts the heart out of her opponents time after time at the plate.

“In the division we’re in, they don’t seem to pitch around her; they try to pitch through her,” Webster said with a chuckle. “So far it hasn’t worked out so well.”

Murciano is equally puzzled, but she’s not complaining. The future Division I athlete said that sometimes she does have to swing at 3-0 pitches “just because I want to hit and I like to be aggressive. I just love, love to hit. I have a craving to hit the ball.”

That craving has resulted in a sensational career as a Highlander for Murciano, one that has a lot more to go. Growing up in a baseball-loving family, Murciano used to tag along to big brother Jake’s games and got the bug.

“I was that kid on the sidelines playing catch with anyone who would play catch with me, and being so into his games,” Murciano said. “I loved how competitive it was, and wanted to play anytime I could.”

Murciano said she started playing travel softball in fourth grade, and by 7th grade she was ready for the Herricks varsity.

“You could tell even then that she had a very high softball IQ, and her strength even then was far ahead of girls her age,” Webster said.

Murciano eventually played for the Team Long Island squad starting in seventh grade, and last year was recruited to play on the prestigious New Jersey Intensity B.O.D. National Team, where she goes to practice on weekends and this summer will be criss-crossing America playing tournaments.

“It’s a lot of traveling but the level of competition is amazing,” Murciano said. “Playing with so many great players, you get better.”

Hard to see how Murciano could do better at the high school level: In 2021 Murciano hit for an eye-popping .818 batting average, with eight home runs and 40 RBI’s for the Highlanders, leading Herricks to the second round of the playoffs.

So far in 2022 she’s slugging the ball even harder, with four home runs and 20 RBI, and a .727 batting average through games of April 29.

“I’m not trying to hit home runs, you just swing hard and the ball has been flying for me this year,” Murciano said. “We have a lot of talent on our team

“It’s a pleasure to coach her, and always has been,” Webster said. “I think she’ll have most of the records at our school before she’s done.”

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