James Wood softball's Kittoe, Orndorff sign with colleges

The James Wood softball team’s top two players for driving in runs in 2022 will get a chance to change the scoreboards for some new schools in the 2023-24 school year.

Shortstop Sadie Kittoe (NCAA Division II Alliance University in New York City) and catcher Sydney Orndorff (Division III Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg) signed to play at the college level in a ceremony on Wednesday at James Wood.

Orndorff ranked third in the area with 24 RBIs last year while Kittoe tied for fourth with 23.

Kittoe — a Second Team All-Class 4 Northwestern District selection last year who also hit .338 (23 for 68) and recorded 18 runs and seven stolen bases — will receive an athletic scholarship covering 65 percent of her expenses to attend Alliance. The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference school was known as Nyack College until its new name went into effect on Sept. 1.

Kittoe said in a phone interview on Thursday that Alliance saw her play at a tournament six months ago in New York with her travel team Tri-State Thunder Gold, which is based in Hagerstown, Md.

Kittoe — who will play both middle infield positions in college —was invited for a visit to campus in August, and she loved it immediately. Alliance is led by eighth-year head coach Jeff Aumend. The Warriors went 7-32 overall and 3-21 in conference play last year.

“I love the coach there,” Kittoe said. “It’s a Christian school, and I also like that. [Aumend] is just a really good man. He’s super down to earth and super friendly with all the players. The whole team was there, and they all talked highly about the whole organization. That also persuaded me to go there. And they just built a new facility, and it was beautiful.”

Kittoe will major in communications.

“It’s a small school, which is what I wanted,” said Kittoe, who made her verbal commitment to Alliance in October. “I think the ratio is 1 to 34 for teachers to students.”

Kittoe said it means a lot to her to compete at the college level.

“It’s amazing,” Kittoe said. “I just want to thank my parents, all the coaches I’ve had, just for taking me to all the tournaments and making sure I get there. They’ve really helped me along the way.”

Orndorff was an All-Region 4C and All-District First Team selection as an at-large choice last year. She also led the Colonels with six home runs and hit .343 (23 for 67).

Orndorff joins an Eastern Mennonite team that went 19-16-1 overall and 5-13 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference last year. The Royals improved their win total by 16 from their 3-23 2021 season.

Orndorff plans on majoring in nursing.

— Compiled by Robert Niedzwiecki with Associated Press reports