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When Angie Barone joined The College of Wooster softball team during the initial stages of the program’s re-launch at the turn of the century, it gave the Fighting Scots immediate credibility having a top-flight player at what most believe is the sport’s most important position – pitcher.
“Angie was a perfect fit for the re-launch,” said long-time head coach Lori Schimmel. “She had all of the traits a coach looks for in a pitcher – speed, off-speed, and attitude in the circle. Not much rattled her while in the circle, which was important with a newer and younger team and program. She held us together on- and off-the-field.”
Statistically, Barone’s strikeout ability stood out, as by the end of her career she ranked 17th in NCAA Div. III history with 577 punch-outs. Even more impressive, her 7.52 strikeouts per seven innings was 15th amongst Div. III pitchers all-time.
“If you talked to hitters or coaches from her playing days, they will definitely say something about her riseball,” added Schimmel. “That was her ‘out’ pitch. You knew it was coming, but couldn’t lay off of it or hit it. That is a true (sign) of a dominant pitcher.”
In addition to her national standing in strikeouts, Barone was quite simply one of the best to come through the North Coast Athletic Conference. She graduated with eight conference records, four of which still stand today – career strikeouts, career strikeout ratio, career games started (77), and single-season shutouts (8). She ranks first at Wooster in all of those categories as well as wins (45), winning percentage (.584), complete games (66), innings pitched (537.1), fewest hits allowed per seven innings (4.49), and opponents’ batting average (.185), plus she’s a close second in ERA (1.85).
Barone, the 2001 NCAC Newcomer of the Year when she went 17-9 with a 1.61 ERA and 212 strikeouts, was a three-time all-conference pick. She was first-team as a freshman, second-team as a sophomore (12-6, 1.55 ERA, 135 K’s), and back on the first-team as a junior (9-7, 2.00 ERA, 113 K’S). Most impressive, she led the fledgling program to a pair of runner-up finishes (2001, 2002) and back-to-back 20-win seasons.
While all of her honors and statistics are extraordinary, what most stood out for Barone was the thrill of being able to pitch in front of family and to play collegiately with her sister, Natalie, as a junior and senior. Their parents made the drive from Akron and were in attendance at nearly every game, home and away.
“Many players are used to their parents seeing them throughout high school, but it can be more difficult in college,” added Schimmel. “Angie’s parents were a constant at the games. Her dad was prominent in her success, as he was her pitching coach and knew what to say and when to say it from afar.”
Strong family ties continue to be a big part of Barone’s life. After graduating from Wooster with a bachelor’s degree while majoring in English with a minor in education, Barone married three-time all-NCAC baseball standout Brian Stevens, a 2003 graduate of the College. The “diamond” family reside in Canton, Ohio with their three children – Josey (8), Jillyan (7), and Joe (4), and Barone, currently a stay-at-home mom, enjoys coaching her daughters amongst other hobbies.