Photos: Left - Stephanie on the mound; Right - Holding Flames championship trophy

Stephanie Ciulla has been a standout pitcher in the EWBC and its predecessor league for the past 10 years. As a former center-fielder for George Mason University's softball team and an accomplished semi-professional fast-pitch softball player in the DC area, she made the transition to baseball seamlessly. Her athleticism and competitive drive were widely recognized when she played shortstop for the Montgomery County BarnCats in her rookie season. But it was when she took up pitching that Stephanie made a name for herself. She quickly mastered the craft of pitching, channeling her strong and accurate arm, physical and mental toughness, and natural leadership ability into her new role. Within one season, she became a pitching ace in the Washington women's baseball league and led the 'Cats to a league championship in 1996.

Stephanie sat out most of the 1998 season with an ankle injury, and after 3 years with the BarnCats, she joined the Virginia Flames in 1999. She continued to hone her pitching skill, cultivating an accurate fastball and a deadly curve ball. Stephanie led the Virginia Flames to league championships in 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2004, recording 12 strikeouts in the 2000 game against New Jersey. She was voted the Flames MVP in 1999 and 2000 and was inducted into the National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003. Stephanie was also active on the league tournament team as a player and a coach, participating in tournaments in Arizona, Boston, New Jersey, and the Roy Hobbs Tournament in Florida.

After the 2004 season, in which the Flames completed back-to-back championship runs behind her strong pitching, Stephanie decided to retire from league play. As the most winning pitcher in league history, and the only pitcher in the EWBC to have won league championships on two different teams, her experience, tenacity, and will to win will be sorely missed. But what her friends and teammates will miss most will be her enthusiasm, love of the game, and constant positive reinforcement of her team. Even after throwing 150 pitches in a game, her level of intensity never slackens and she has nothing but positive things to say to her teammates. After a booted play, she's the first one to say "shake it off and get the next one." After an at-bat, no matter the outcome, she's one of the first players to slap your hand. Stephanie has a photographic memory for plays made during a game, and always acknowledges the efforts of each player, no matter how small their contribution may seem. She is a gifted athlete and a spirited competitor.

In Stephanie's honor, the number 7 has been officially retired from the Virginia Flames.