Senior business major Bernadette Tenuto is not much of a talker.

Stony Brook softball’s starting third baseman, Tenuto speaks softly and describes herself as shy.

One of four seniors on the team, she is not a fan of yelling. Rather, she prefers to lead by example.

“I’m not a very vocal person, but I just play. I play and hopefully people follow,” she said.

Anyone who is looking to follow in her footsteps would do well to look at how much she has grown over the years at Stony Brook.

In her freshman year, she played first base and batted 0.161, starting a mere five games. Last year, she led the team with a 0.338 average and started every game.

“Bern’s been a terrific member of our team now for four years,” head coach Megan Bryant said. “She’s one of our best hitters and a really consistent defensive player.”

Tenuto started her senior season off on a high note, going 4-for-11 and hitting 0.364 with three doubles and four RBI when the Seawolves kicked off the season at the George Washington Colonial Classic back in March, and she has continued that momentum all season.

In Stony Brook’s win over UMBC on April 14, Tenuto went 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI.

“One of the things I like about Bern is she’s a very even keel — she never really gives too high or too low,” Bryant said.

Although it seems as if Tenuto’s been having a stellar season, Bryant believes she could do a little better.

“I don’t think there’s a coach alive that doesn’t think her players can work harder,” Bryant said. “We’d like to see Bern drive in a few more runs because she’s currently a good enough hitter to do that.”

But Tenuto is more focused on the team doing well than herself. For her senior year, she would like to win the America East.

“We want to go all the way,” Tenuto said. “So whatever we take as a team, whether it’s me, whether it’s [someone else], we’re just going to do it together.”

Tenuto plans to graduate this year and go back to her hometown, Audubon, N.J.,where she has been offered a job in an accounting firm. She then plans to get her Master’s Degree.

Although she loves “the camaraderie and everything else about softball,” Tenuto does not see herself continuing with it in the future.

“I would like to stay involved, but I think it’s time,” she said. “My future’s going to take me where I need to be taken.”