Posted: Jul 08, 2015

Hancock Softball's Gianna Abatti Signs with Cumberland University

Allan Hancock College softball player Gianna Abatti has lived her entire life in Nipomo, about 10 miles north of the college campus. Abatti will head to the deep south after she signed scholarship papers to play softball at Cumberland University, a NAIA program in Lebanon, Tennessee.

"It's always been a goal of mine to play softball at a four-year university, so I am super excited," said Abatti. "I really never thought I would achieve this opportunity, but that feeling pushed me even harder along the way and it paid off."

Abatti committed after participating in a workout in front of Cumberland head coach Heather Stanfill in Southern California. "I really got a good feeling about her as a person and a coach. I like her coaching style," said Abatti.

The Cumberland Bulldogs are coming off a 12-32 season that included a sixth place finish in the Mid-South Conference. The university has an annual enrollment of about 1,500 students.

"I am nervous to move across the country," said Abatti, who added the farthest east she had been was Kansas. "But, I know I am ready for a new adventure."

During his sophomore season at Hancock, Abatti missed six weeks of the season due to inflammation in her right ankle. When she returned, she earned a spot in the starting lineup and hit one home run, drove in eight runs with a .424 on-base percentage.

"Missing 20 games really changed how I looked at the game," said Abatti, who also declared herself 100 percent healthy. "Watching from the sideline made me appreciate the game even more and it made me dig deeper and never give up."

Abatti said she originally came to Hancock with no plans to continue her softball career. But she changed her mind and called head coach Scia Maumausolo. The rest, as they say, is history. Abatti played on two conference championship teams that went 61-19 over two seasons.

"Gianna is being rewarded for her perseverance through the ups and downs," said coach Maumausolo. "She always kept her focus in the classroom, which along with her athletic abilities, helped open this door of opportunity to play a game she loves at the next level."

The Nipomo High School graduate played in 41 games as a freshman for the Bulldogs. She hit three home runs and collected 20 RBI.

"Coach Scia was amazing. She taught me a different side of the game and made me a better person," said Abatti. "She always believe in me and gave me an opportunity to regain confidence in myself."

Abatti plans to major in psychology at Cumberland University.

To read and watch the story by KCOY/KEYT, click here.