They’re armed, ready
These teams will sport pitching ace in rotation
Pitching from the circle goes well beyond the quality of a player’s fastball, curve, screwball, rise, or drop — their “stuff.”
It’s getting ahead in court, working the pitch mix, developing put-away pitches, hitting various locations, all in the name of getting outs.
And for the region’s top pitchers, continuing to improve their craft — and for many that is now a year-round endeavor with the growth of travel ball — remains at the forefront of their training, no matter how impressive their past results have been.
Sam Lincoln, a senior committed to Texas Tech, put up eye-popping numbers in leading top-ranked Taunton to its third consecutive Division 1 championship last season: a 17-1 record with a 0.40 earned run average and 228 strikeouts.
On Monday, Lincoln kickstarted her final campaign with five perfect innings against Sharon, striking out every batter she faced in a 17-0 win. The 6-foot-1-inch lefthander has increased her velocity and spin rates, continuing to work both sides of the plate to keep hitters off balance.
“She’s come a long way in that mentality and knowing that she can’t just blow the ball by everyone, especially at the next level,” said Taunton coach Michelle Raposo. “She’s worked hard on the movement and placement.”
Peabody senior righthander Abby Bettencourt, who has committed to Brown after compiling a 0.88 ERA with 266 strikeouts, dazzles in the circle. But she can also mash, as evidenced by her .550 average and 10 home runs.
For the first time in high school, however, she will not be throwing to her older sister, Isabel (now at Bates), who has graduated.
But in first-year coach Steve Lomasney, a former Red Sox draft pick, the Tanners have someone with a deep knowledge of the catching position, and working with pitchers.
And he understands the importance of how to approach atbats.
He lauded Bettencourt’s pitch-ability, understanding of counts, and ability to generate swings and misses, as well as her compartmentalization to stay in the moment.
“When she steps into that circle, she knows that she’s the best and that goes a long way,” said Lomasney.
At Archbishop Williams, sophomore Jill Ondrick enters her fourth season on the varsity. Her 1.62 ERA last season was highlighted by three no hitters, in addition to hitting .586 with 10 home runs.
“Her fastball and her velocity, you can just tell that she’s growing up,” said Archbishop Williams coach Charlie Connors. “At the beginning of her career, you were looking at a really good high school player that was in middle school.”
The 5-11 Ondrick has improved upon her control and velocity, but also working through counts and which pitches to throw in certain counts and situations. On Monday, Ondrick surrendered just one hit and struck out 17 in a season-opening 15-0 victory against Boston Latin. She also homered.
“She can overpower people, now she’s matured to a point where she can beat you with her placement and her mind,” said Connors.
King Philip sophomore McCoy Walsh was sensational in her freshman campaign, fanning 215 batters with a 1.25 ERA.
“She’s got good spin, good command of her pitches,” said King Philip coach Kate Fallon Comeau. “She keeps hitters off balance. She’s just gritty.”
She is confident with a mature approach. Walsh picked up right where she left off, sitting down 10 in four scoreless innings as the secondranked Warriors raced to a 16-0 triumph over Stoughton.
“She works hard, she’s got a lot of potential,” said Fallon-Comeau. “I can’t wait to see how she does this year.”
Across eastern Massachusetts, there is no shortage of talented hurlers.
Central Catholic ace Julia Malowitz, a senior slated to play at Wentworth, returns to the circle after posting a 19-1 record with a 0.90 ERA. Lincoln-Sudbury junior Kelsey Blanchette, the reigning Dual County League MVP committed to UMass-Amherst, returns after logging a 1.33 ERA last season.
Walpole junior Sharlotte Stazinksi (1.28 ERA), Silver Lake junior Delaney Moquin(1.18 ERA), and Triton junior Emma Penniman (1.94 ERA) return as upperclassmen after winning MVP of their respective leagues. Reigning Independent School League MVP Jackie Giordano ,a junior, owned a 124/11 strikeout to walk ratio in just 70‚ innings.
Extra bases
■ After winning the program’s first state title, Middleborough graduated eight starters and now the defending Division 3 champions are competing in D2 with the new MIAA alignments.
But for coach Dan Sylvia, it’s business as usual.
“[The new players are] stepping into some big shoes,” the seven-year coach said. “It’s a little bit of pressure on them right out of the gate to try to live up to the reputation of the program . . . but that’s self-made pressure. We don’t put it on them. They’re only going to put that on themselves.”
The Sachems have nabbed the South Shore regular season title each year of Sylvia’s tenure. His goal is to keep that streak alive.
Though it’s early, this new group seems to be settling in. In Middleborough’s season-opening 8-0 win over Durfee Monday, sophomore Taryn Clancey fanned 16 . Freshman catcher Taylynn Robinson began her varsity career with a home run.
“When you bring in younger players to the varsity level — what we demand of players, not just physically, but mentally — you can see that it’s a challenge for them,” Sylvia said. “Now, what they’re learning is what that demand really means . . . and it’s going to be a matter of if they can pick that up quickly enough.”
■ In addition to Middleborough making the move from Division 3 to D2, Division 4 semifinalist Archbishop Williams jumps from Division 3. Woburn, Reading, Milford, and Hingham have dropped from D1 to D2. Pembroke, formerly in Division 2, now competes in Division 3.