CRANBERRY TWP — Not all girls softball players are into fast-pitch.

So Jeremy Torrence and Ron Osselborn decided to pitch a new idea — nice and slow.

Shortly thereafter, Seneca Valley became part of the 12-team Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Softball League (WPISL). The slow-pitch softball circuit consists of high school club teams.

Osselborn and Torrence both had daughters interested in playing for their school when the SV slow-pitch program began. It is entering its fourth season.

“My daughter was going into her senior year at the time and she wanted to have that experience of playing for her school,” Osselborn said.

Seneca Valley's slow-pitch club organization has a junior high, junior varsity and varsity team. The WPISL plays games on weekends in September and October. Practices are held during the week.

Osselborn and Torrence have coached the varsity squad.

“Once we approached the school board to see how to do this, we only had maybe a month and a half to make it happen,” Torrence said. “But we made it.

“I'm involved on the board for the CTAA (Cranberry Township Athletic Association) and Ron is head of softball for the Seneca Valley North organization. We combined forces and got the word out.”

The SV program had 48 girls try out for the inaugural season. It's had 43 to 47 girls come out annually since.

“The girls are excited and passionate about softball and they're getting better each year,” Torrence said.

The teams have voluntary practices next week for girls interested in playing. Actual tryouts are the following week.

Sherri Frontino, the organization's treasurer, said the SV program “only cuts players at the varsity level.” Anyone is eligible to play on the JV team except seniors.

Seventh and eighth-graders must play on the junior high team. Freshmen can play for the junior high as well.

The varsity plays a 14-game schedule, all doubleheaders on Sundays. Home games are played at Graham Park.

“Montour has won the league two of the past three years and West Allegheny is always strong,” Osselborn said. “Our varsity had a winning record for the first time last year.”

North Allegheny, North Hills, Mount Pleasant, Baldwin, Shaler and Plum are among other teams in the league. Seneca Valley is the only Butler County school in the circuit.

The WPISL plays by a six to 12-foot arc pitching rule.

Delayna Frankenstein is a fourth-year senior on the SV varsity this season. Samantha Jones, Taylor Annarumo and Kayla Wiegel are other veteran seniors returning.

“We've had a lot of turnover on the varsity team the first three years,” Torrence said. “We only lost two seniors from last year's team. Every other year, we've lost eight or nine.”

Being a club sport, the Seneca Valley slow-pitch softball organization receives no funding from the school district. The program teamed up with the CTAA to use that organization's fields.

“There's a small registration fee that covers the cost of using those fields and insurance,” Torrence said.

Fundraising activities raise the other money necessary to keep the organization running.

“We do a Night at the Races in April,” Frontino said. “We've done hoagie sales, candle sales, car washes to raise money.”

A club sport must exist for three years in the Seneca Valley district before high school letters can be awarded for participation.

“This is our fourth year, so our players will be eligible to receive letters for the first time,” Osselborn said.

For more information on the SV slow-pitch program, visit svslowpitch@gmail.com.