Move over Amanda Whurlizer...
Lady G is in da house!

August 10th 2009 TOMS RIVER NJ - We are not sure when the sharp-tongued Amanda Whurlizer started pitching for Buttermaker but we do know something about our own local Gianna DePalma.  This remarkable young lady starting playing baseball at the age of five for the Toms River East Little League. When she was eight she played in the minors for the Phillies where she pitched and played second base on a team that finished 22-1-1 while winning the Minor League Championship.  At 9 years old she played Triple A for the Mudcats finishing 14-1. During that season Gianna was selected to the 9 year old All Star team to play in the Barnegat tournament.  That team went on to the championship game. This is when one of her coaches, Lou Battiglio and the boys on the team nicked named her “Lady G”.  At 10 she was drafted by the Dodgers in Majors and started every game at second base for Coach Steve Vincent and Toni Deblasio. Some coaches where weary of drafting a girl but Steve and Toni had no problem with it because she played USBL travel baseball for them on a team called the Raiders. The Dodger team finished the year winning the Majors TRELL World Series. She was also selected to the 10 year old ALL Star Team. At 11 playing for the Dodgers she pitched and played second and third base where the Dodgers again made it to the World Series game only to lose to the Angels. She continued to play USBL travel baseball every fall for the Toms River Raiders at the 50 70 level.
Her last year playing little league as a Dodger for Coach Tom Connley she pitched and played shortstop and hit over 400 for the year.  In a recent interview Connley stated "She can play anywhere"  One of the highlights that season was against the Red Sox when Gianna hit her first home run off the center field score board while going 3 for 3 with a single, double and 5 rbi’s!
She was selected to the 12 year old All Star team and played for Coach Jim Spiac. In her final game ever playing baseball, in the All Star Game played in Barnegat Gianna in her first at bat hit a two run home run.  It would be her final game because she is moving to softball this year.  Gianna has played baseball for 13 seasons 7 in TRELL and 5 seasons for USBL Fall Travel. She has been selected to 4 All Star Teams and has been lucky enough to be on 3 teams who competed for the World Series in Trell with her teams winning 2 and one All Star team that made it to the Championship Game.  The baseball community is sad to see her move on to softball where the pitchers are probably already fearing facing this young athlete! The entire community wishes Gianna the best of luck!