Softball season in review: Parity made for thrilling competition in 2022

Despite a new cast of characters, it was the same result for Taunton.

After graduating the dynamite trio of Kelsey White, Hannah Aldrich and McKenzie McAloon many expected Taunton to take a slight step back. Instead, the Tigers once again showcased their mettle defeating No. 6 Central Catholic, red-hot seventh-seeded Methuen, and No. 9 Peabody to repeat as Div. 1 state champions. Liv Mendoca was the story inside the circle while Kaysie Demoura batted over .550 and Ava Venturlli blasted eight home runs.

The Div. 1 tournament was filled with upsets as always dangerous Newton North threw a wrench in the postseason with a win over top-seeded Bishop Feehan in the Round of 16. Elsewhere No. 2 King Philip fell victim to the aforementioned Rangers. One wonders what type of run No. 5 Lowell may have gone on if not for an injury to four-time Gatorade Player of the Year Giana LaCedra.

We seemed bound for a rubber match in the Div. 2 state finals between Merrimack Valley Conference rivals Billerica and Tewksbury but Westfield had other ideas. The Bombers defeated the top-seeded Indians in the state semifinals before knocking off Tewksbury in the state final. Emma LaPoint provided the biggest hit of the postseason with a walk-off single to lift Westfield past Grafton in the Div. 2 quarterfinal.

Greater New Bedford was considered a heavyweight coming into the Div. 3 Tournament and for good reason. The Bears reclaimed revenge from a regular season loss to Middleboro with a win over the Sachems in the state championship. Madison Medieros was one of the top performers inside the circle all season long.

Middleboro stunned many with an upset of top-seeded St. Mary’s in the state semifinal.

If you liked dominant pitching performances then Amesbury was the team to watch throughout this postseason. Liv DeLong fired masterpiece after masterpiece as Amesbury allowed just one run in five games en route to a Div. 4 crown and its fifth title in program history. DeLong will continue her playing career at Boston University next year.

Three Takeaways

1. A tip of the cap to a trio of seniors who starred inside the circle throughout their careers. Giana LaCedra became one of the best pitchers around as evidenced by her four-time Gatorade Player of the Year recognition while Liv DeLong followed up a winter basketball state championship with a terrific spring season. Then there is Madion Medeiros who was the heart and soul of a Greater New Bedford team that went a sparkling 25-2. The pitching in Massachusetts continues to prove it’s some of the best around on a yearly basis.

2. The parity of the MIAA Softball Tournament is worth noting. In Div. 1, the final four seeds belonged to No. 3, 4, 7, and 9 overall. Div. 2, meanwhile, saw No. 6 North Attleboro make a charge to the semifinal while No. 12 Grafton reached the quarterfinal. One has to wonder whether softball will continue to see more potential seeding upsets than other sports due to the fact that one dominant pitcher can continue to take the mound on a game-by-game basis.

3. While there were some grumblings early on, UMass Amherst’s Sortino Field turned out to be a great venue for the state championship games. Going forward, however, it may make sense for the MIAA to be vocal about contingency plans in the event two teams have the ability to square off at a neutral site venue that is closer than the predetermined site.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/uAkBWNq