Jennifer Palase is just carrying on a family tradition.
The Tottenville junior catcher committed last week to play softball at the University of New Haven, where she will receive a financial package with athletic and academic money that covers almost the entire tuition.
Palase’s older sister Nicole, a Tottenville senior, is heading to St. Joseph’s University next year and her brother Richard competes at Lynchburg after transferring from Division I Longwood. Their father Richard Sr. and mother Donna played baseball and softball, respectively, at Long Island University.
“I guess I’m following in their footsteps,” Palase said with a laugh.
While Nicole is known for her incredible athletic ability and power at the plate and in her right arm, the younger Palase has carved out her own niche for the Pirates.
Last year, she was instrumental in Tottenville’s run to the PSAL Class A city title game, upping her batting average from .364 in the regular season to .462 in the playoffs, where she had five runs and four RBIs in five games. The biggest hit of her career might have been a double off Madison ace Kayla Hill in the final. With her team down 2-1 and down to its final out in the seventh inning, Palase ripped a line drive into the leftfield corner and later scored the tying run in an eventual loss on a Knights error.
Her role has changed a bit this year. Instead of being in the bottom half of the lineup, the speedy, 5-foot-3 Palase is atop coach Cathy Morano’s order and using the slapping skills she developed while playing travel ball with the Jaxx to get on base almost at will – she’s hitting an absurd .500 this season with 15 runs scored in seven league games.
“Normally catchers are bigger and slower,” Morano said. “Jen’s got the speed and it’s nice to have that luxury where she can go from either side of the plate.”
Palase, who has a 3.7 GPA, chose New Haven over C.W. Post and Rider. It was almost love at first sight, she says, when she visited the Connecticut campus.
“I just felt comfortable there,” she said. “I felt like it was the place for me. The atmosphere was very bright.”
Though Palase is one of the top defensive catchers in the city, she will play outfield for the Chargers because of her speed and athleticism. She said she’ll miss being behind the plate, though. Her acumen there has drawn praise from opposing coaches, including Susan Wagner’s Marco Altieri. He was especially impressed by her willingness to learn while attending the PSAL Big Apple Games, where few travel players go in the summer.
“She’s such a great catcher, a great kid,” Altieri said. “I really like that kid a lot. She’s a special kid. Really good leadoff hitter, too.”
Her teammates agree. Tottenville’s Albany-bound center fielder Victoria McFarland says she almost expects Palase to be on base when she gets up.
“For Jen to slap, she always gets on,” McFarland said. “It’s great. We know that she’ll be on to lead off.”