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Eagle signs with Pensacola JC

By EMILY NIPPS
Published February 2, 2005

SPRING HILL - Stephanie Discepolo couldn't recall exactly when she started entertaining the thought of a college scholarship. Seemed like it had been in the back of her mind "forever," she said.

Her father pinned down a more specific time. "Since the second season of T-ball," he said.

Last Friday, it all became real when the Springstead first baseman/designated hitter signed with Pensacola Junior College. With her parents, Ken and Isabella, and some of her teammates watching, she signed a thin stack of papers and committed to the Pirates.

Discepolo, who turned 18 the same day, chose the school among a list that included University of South Florida, Lake Sumter Community College and Hillsborough CC.

"Coach (Craig Swartout) helped me out," Discepolo said. "He went to school up in that area, and it's a really nice school, a pretty area, and the coach (Brenda Pena) is good."

Swartout, who attended the nearby University of West Florida, said he wanted to see his top hitter go somewhere she could grow. The two-year school has a reputable program and a 20 to 1 student-teacher ratio.

"Pensacola is one of the top 10 junior college programs in the country, and she belongs at a top-10 school," Swartout said. "It's close enough to home but far enough to start becoming an adult."

As an all-state honorable-mention player, Discepolo led Springstead to the Class 4A region quarterfinals last season. She topped the Eagles with a .407 batting average and had a county-leading 12 doubles and 20 RBIs.

Discepolo said that while she has a few goals she wants to reach in her final season of prep ball, she's excited to start her new life in the fall. "You can't get a better deal than that (a full scholarship)," she said. "The girls are nice, the deal was perfect ... The only thing I was worried about was the girls not liking me."

[Last modified February 2, 2005, 00:32:17]