Young WHS softball team improving as season goes on

Before you start winning consistently at any level of sports, garnering experience is a necessary first step.

This is exactly what the athletes on the Waltham High School girls softball team are gaining on the diamond this season. The promising group is making steady improvements while learning how to win at the varsity level in the Dual County League.

“We are playing better ball than the record shows,” first-year head coach Steve McGovern said of his 3-9 ballclub. “We are in games [and it is a] young team. The future is bright.”

Last Wednesday’s defeat at the hands of Bedford High School was a good example of this trend. The game could not have started much better as the Hawks got on base repeatedly with three singles before junior Laila Drouillard belted a pitch deep over the fence for a grand slam in the top of the first inning. WHS took the field in the bottom of the opening frame already sporting a 5-0 advantage.

The situation looked different by the time the Hawks went up to bat in the top of the second inning. Bedford piled on seven runs in the bottom of the first while recording five hits. The Buccaneers replicated this feat in the second inning, scoring another seven runs on five hits to put the game away. WHS eventually succumbed with a score of 18-6.

There were some bright spots to note offensively, as Drouillard, freshman Ava Palao, and Josie Proskoczilo all netted two hits. 

This trend continued later in the week. The Hawks jumped all over Concord-Carlisle Regional High School’s pitching with three runs in the first inning. Palao got the run party going with a triple, followed up by an RBI single by Drouillard, an RBI double by Olivia Savoy, and an RBI groundout by Alyssa Phillips. The Patriots wound up recovering en route to a 11-7 win, but there was plenty to be encouraged by for the Hawks.

“It was our most competitive game to date,” McGovern said. “We are getting stronger each game and both coaches noticed changes compared to last season.” 

WHS has been able to get the bats going early, resulting in some tumultuous innings for opposing pitching.

“Both of the last two games, we knocked out the other team’s starting pitchers in the first inning, causing them to change their game plans against us,” McGovern said. “I am very happy with that progress.”

The Hawks did fall to Cambridge Rindge & Latin to begin this week, but managed to record 11 runs.

On the mound, the Hawks are continuing to get better. Ace pitcher Proskoczilo takes the hill the majority of the time, but the junior is receiving support from a variety of teammates.

Eighth-graders Reily Fournier and Frannie Letendre have stepped up to help shoulder some of the load and help out Proskoczilo.

“Both are working very hard and doing a great job to the best of their ability,” McGovern said. “Proskoczilo is doing most of the innings on the mound this year but it’s great that she does have the help for some time-to-time rest.” 

Additionally, Palao and another eighth-grader, Jiara Tchaprazian, are receiving repetitions pitching in games. These moments will pay massive dividends as the Hawks’ careers continue.

The team takes on Lincoln Sudbury at 4 p.m on Monday, May 11, at Lincoln Sudbury High School.