PHILADELPHIA – La Salle head softball coach Ron Shoemaker announced the signing of four incoming student-athletes to national letters of intent over the Thanksgiving holiday week. The four incoming players will bring a wide array of talents to help bolster the Explorer softball team in the 2014-15 academic year.
 
Valerie Pineiro
Audubon, N.J. (Audubon High School)
Third Baseman – 5'10"
 
Recruited by colleges for both basketball and softball, Valerie Pineiro has chosen to pursue her softball career here at La Salle, and it's easy why. Being a multisport athlete, she brings athleticism and power to the hot corner position. She blasted 17 homeruns for her fall tournament team, the New Jersey Gators Gold, in the Fall 2012 season.
 
Pineiro has been a standout for her high school team as well. She was an All South Jersey Softball selection each of her last two seasons. Pineiro had an excellent junior season for Audubon, hitting .436 (17-for-39) with 15 runs batted in. Ten of her hits went for extra-bases, as she mashed six doubles, one triple and three homers.
 
Coach Shoemaker: "Valerie has an extremely quick swing that generates a ton of power. She will look to contribute in the middle of the batting order right away."
 
Taylor Rohrbaugh
York, Pa. (Central York)
Pitcher/First Base/Designated Hitter – 5'8"
 
Taylor Rohrbaugh has been exceptional in the batters box and the pitchers circle in her softball career. She primarily pitches for her tournament team PA Krunch Gold. As a sophomore playing against players two years older, she earned a save in the 2011 PGF National Championship. This past summer she earned a win in the 2013 PGF 18U National Championship.
 
Rohrbaugh has enjoyed a stellar high school career. She has been an integral part of Central York's back-to-back York/Adams County Championship teams. Her sophomore year (2012) she hit a two-run walk-off homerun to help Central York take the county championship title. She followed that up by pitching a nine-inning no hitter in the Quad-A District 3 quarterfinals of the PIAA State Playoffs. Her junior season was even better, as she posted a 15-3 record in the pitchers circle, with a 1.72 era and 132 strike-outs in 102 innings pitched. She also was a force in the batters box, hitting for a .547 average, with 21 extra base hits and 32 runs batted in. She was named York/Adams County Player of the Year in both 2012 and 2013, while she was named PIAA Quad-A Second Team Designated Hitter in 2013.
 
She is a also a great student as well, appearing on the distinguished or honor roll every marking period at Central York.
 
Coach Shoemaker: "Taylor is a player I've had my eye on for quite awhile and I am happy she decided to come here. She is a great combination player who can pitch and hit at a high level. It's always a plus when you can find a pitcher who can hit as well as she can. She will look to contribute in both areas at La Salle."
 
Angelina Refice
Doylestown, Pa. (Central Bucks West)
Outfielder – 5'8"
 
Angelina Refice is an exceptional multi-sport athlete who brings a lot of speed and athleticism to the outfield position. She is a letter winner in softball, field hockey and track at Central Bucks West. Her commitment to her education is quite evident, as she chose to take a break from high school athletics to focus on her studies during her junior season. She still participated in summer tournament softball, as a member of Lower South Liberty Fastpitch. Her speed is her biggest asset, as she posted a scorching 2.60 second home plate to first base time at the Delaware NFCA Recruiting Camp in 2012.
 
She is exceptional in the classroom, appearing on the distinguished or honor roll during each marking period of her high school career. She is an officer of the National Honor Society and is also a member of the 2014 Class Council.
 
Coach Shoemaker: "Angelina is a versatile player who will probably look to contribute in the outfield at La Salle. She brings a ton of speed that will allow us to get creative and aggressive on the base paths."
 
McKenzie Peace
Sharpsburg, Ga. (Northgate High School)
Pitcher – 5'7"
 
McKenzie Peace just completed her senior softball season for Northgate, as the state of Georgia classifies softball as a Fall sport. She pitched all but five innings of Northgate's 39 games this season, as the team finished as Class 5A State Runner-Up. She was a workhorse in the pitching circle, throwing 203 innings, collecting 172 strike-outs and posting a miniscule 0.98 earned run average. She posted 11 complete game shutouts, with two of them coming during Northgate's Elite Eight State Championship run. She also shared pitching duties during her 2012 junior season, helping Northgate win the State Championship.
 
Peace received the team MVP award in both her sophomore and senior season. She was named Region Pitcher of the Year, First Team All Region and Coweta County Student-Athlete of the Week during her senior year.
 
She has also enjoyed a stellar tournament team career, which has seen her participate in ASA Nationals during each of her last six years. She will conclude her travel career for the Georgia Knockouts Gold.
 
Coach Shoemaker: "I am excited to bring McKenzie into the pitching fold for us. She is a power pitcher, who will hopefully be a major asset to our staff. I am also excited to see that our recruiting footprint has expanded into the Southeast."
 
The Explorers will kickoff their 2014 season with a double-header against Purdue and Towson on February 14^th in the Kickin' Chicken Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Blue & Gold's home opener will take place on March 22^nd, as the Explorers will host St. Bonaventure for a double-header at West Campus Field.