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Battling back and staying positive: Nardin pitcher back on the mound after several injuries

Julianna Verni.jpg
Posted at 6:04 PM, May 19, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-19 18:39:08-04

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Julianna Verni's love for softball is obvious.

"It's the biggest thing in my life," she said. "Everything around my life goes with it."

Verni is a junior pitcher for Nardin Academy who never takes anything for granted. This season is extra special because it's her first in a Nardin uniform since she was a freshman.

"It takes a lot to get through it all," Verni said about her two-year hiatus."But I think surrounding yourself with the right people really helps get everything going."

Injuries are a part of any game and Verni knows all too well. In the last two years she's suffered an L5 vertebrae fracture, a hyper-extended knee with a bone contusion and a sprained LCL, and a fractured forearm.

It's been a rough road, but Verni is resilient. She's feeling better than ever and is full of gratitude.

"It's a sport I love," Verni said. "I've played it my entire life. I've always got that strength to get back and play. That was the biggest thing."

Those injuries could've kept Verni down, but she's always had that never give up attitude. She's back, she's on top of her game, and she's ready to make her next set of dreams come true.

"Obviously June is the biggest period of recruiting after the dead period ends," she said about her upcoming offseason. "So getting healthy after those two tough years and COVID is a big thing because this summer's gonna be the biggest time."