Gahr seniors Brianna Besenty (left) and Deidra Genera proudly don the apparel of their college choice after the two softball standouts signed their respective letters of intent last month.
By Loren Kopff
Longtime friends Brianna Besenty and Deidra Genera of Gahr High’s softball team recently signed letters of intent to continue playing upon graduation in June. Besenty, who doubles up as a catcher and second baseman, signed on Nov. 7 to play at Hope University in Fullerton while Genera, a pitcher, inked her name to Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 13.
Besenty, whose career batting average of .355 is currently fourth among Gahr players this century, said Hope University was the first school she looked at and immediately fell in love with it. She added that she liked the campus, liked the team and is close to home. Besenty will major in psychology.
“I’m pretty excited,” Besenty said. “The coach is really nice; I’ve worked with her before. I know she’s really tough on the field. I know we’re going to get down to business and get done what needs to get done.”
Besenty, a second-team member of the Los Cerritos Community News All-Area Team in 2013 as a catcher and a first-teamer last season as a second baseman, also ranks in Gahr’s top 20 this century in hits (50), runs batted in (42) and walks (15). Besenty’s 27 RBI last season is the most by any junior this century.
Genera, who will be going to the Daytona Beach, FL-based university on a full ride, has been one of the top pitchers in Gahr history. Genera needs one more victory to move into a tie for second place in victories this century and her 179 strikeouts as well as 174 innings pitched are second since 2000. Last season, Genera posted an earned run average of 3.26 with 75 strikeouts while walking only 17 batters.
Genera, who also looked at Hope University, Humboldt State University and New Mexico State University, has been on the LCCN All-Area team as a pitcher in 2012 (honorable mention) and on the first team as a third baseman and pitcher the past two seasons respectively.
Genera says she has always wanted to play college softball since she was seven and chose Bethune-Cookman because the school was a lot smaller than the others she looked at.
