Petrino Steps Up Quickly

Freshman Provides Clutch Hitting Despite Short Stay

Anne Mari Petrino is the NWA Media Big 7 softball Newcomer of the Year.
Anne Mari Petrino is the NWA Media Big 7 softball Newcomer of the Year.

FAYETTEVILLE — Jason Shirey doesn’t even want to think about his centerfield position going into the next high school softball season. What Shirey knows is his current centerfielder will be gone.

“I don’t even want to talk about it,” Shirey said. “I’m not even going to think about it and maybe it won’t happen.”

What’s happening — and what Shirey knew all season long — was his young freshman leadoff hitter and centerfielder wouldn’t be around for too long. That’s because Anne Mari Petrino, the daughter of former Arkansas football assistant Paul Petrino, is moving to Idaho to join her family at her father’s new job. Despite the short stay, Petrino made sure to leave quite a mark on the Lady Bulldogs’ program.

With Fayetteville needing a sure bat at the top of the lineup, it was Petrino who stepped up to the challenge. And when coaches asked for her to take on a role as a centerpiece of the Fayetteville defense, the young freshman didn’t back down.

Petrino’s consistency at the plate and her range in the outfield were keys to Fayetteville’s climb to the top of the 7A/6A-West Conference. And for her efforts she has been named the All-NWA Media Big 7 Softball Newcomer of the Year.

“I wanted to come in and make an impact, and it was so easy to do because our seniors are so amazing,” Petrino said. “They’re such great leaders and coach Shirey is one of the best coaches I’ve ever had. So they just made it so easy to transition.”

Petrino hit .344 with eight runs batted in and a team best 13 stolen bases. Hitting No. 1 in the batting order, the left-handed hitting Petrino was one of the toughest outs not only on her team, but in the entire conference as proven by just two strikeouts the entire season.

“She’s a competitor and I don’t think she shyed away from anything,” Shirey said. “She’d played against a lot of those other kids before and we knew what she was capable of. “And as a coach you like the fact you can put the same people in the same spot and not have to make adjustments, and she was one we never had to worry about.”

Fayetteville (20-9) fought off a flurry of conference opponents in the fi nal week of the regular season to pull out the league title. The Lady Bulldogs then advanced to the state semifinals before bowing out to eventual state champion North Little Rock. Every step of the way Petrino was a model of consistency, hitting .327 in conference games and .500 in the postseason.

“My team was amazing and I worked as hard as I could have for the seniors,” Petrino said. “I just love all of my teammates and we all loved each other and that’s what really pushed me to work so hard.”

Those teammates is what makes leaving the Fayetteville softball program so difficult for Petrino. While she is happy to be joining her family at the University of Idaho, saying goodbye to the Lady Bulldogs isn’t easy.

“I’m sad that I have to leave coach Shirey because he’s such an amazing coach. And all the great memories I have with the team,” Petrino said. “We’re like a family, so it’s really hard to leave the team more than anything.”

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