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Knights’ Surrento: Larger than life personality

By Randy Lefko Sports Editor
Posted 4/1/20

OAKLEAF - The Oakleaf High School sports community, notably the girls softball team, has been lurched suddenly with recent news of the passing of softball great Brianna Surrento. Unofficial reports …

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Knights’ Surrento: Larger than life personality


Posted

OAKLEAF - The Oakleaf High School sports community, notably the girls softball team, has been lurched suddenly with recent news of the passing of softball great Brianna Surrento. Unofficial reports was that Surrento was involved in a fatal car accident in Texas.
Surrento had recently been an assistant softball coach at the University of the Southwest in Hobbs, New Mexico.
In statements from Oakleaf softball and Lander University, Surrento, 22, who played catcher, first base and pitched while a Lady Knight in the 2014-2015 seasons, Surrento passed away on Mon., March 23, 2020.
From Oakleaf Softball, via Twitter, Surrento is remembered as a “larger than life personality, and an exceptional talent, but still sensitive and caring of her friends and family. She had a laugh and a smile that could light up a room and this picture is how I will always remember her.”
Surrento, after graduating Oakleaf High School, played her freshman year for
Chipola Community College in Florida and was part of a 2016 Florida College System Athletics Association (FCSAA) Chipola team title that eventually finished as runnerup in the National Junior College national championship.
As a first baseman for Chipola, Surrento earned All-Conference second team honors with a .381 batting average with five home runs, 39 runs batted in and 16 stolen bases. Surrento was chosen an All-Tournament player in the FCSAA championship series.
For the 2016 season, Surrento played in 63 games, hit at .356 with six homers, 53 runs batted in and just 16 strikeouts.
Surrento transferred to Lander University in South Carolina and continued her high level of play with an All-Peach Belt Conference first team selection in her 2018-19 season. Surrento maintained her strong batting skill with a .385 batting average with a league-leading .543 on-base percentage. Surrento led Lander in homers and RBIs plus pitched to a 1-1 record in 19 appearances with a 4.06 ERA in 29 innings of play.
Surrento started in 94 of 97 games in her tenure with eight homers in her junior year and three as a senior.
In her final game at Lander, in the Peach Belt Conference tournament, Surrento launched for a homer with three runs batted in and two walks in a 6-5 win for Landers over Young Harris.
Surrento then played and coached in the World Baseball Softball Confederation before joining University of the Southwest as a graduate assistant coach.
According to a report from Texas Department of Public Safety in Gaines County, TX, Surrento was driving on US Highway 180 near Seminole at 8:52 p.m. when she apparently hit a cow that was on the highway.