Eastern Mass. softball: Here are 14-plus stars to watch on the diamond this spring
Shortstop Brook Aldrich powered Taunton with five home runs in last year's playoffs.
Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
Lila Alvarez, Joseph Case
— Last year, as a freshman, Alvarez pitched the Cardinals to a Division 4 championship on the strength of a 1.11 ERA and 189 strikeouts.
Lila Alvarez is back after pitching Case to the Division 4 crown last spring.
MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE
Kelsey Blanchette
, Lincoln-Sudbury
— The two-time Dual County League Thorpe MVP hit .429 with 33 RBIs and also pitched well, compiling a 2.30 ERA. She is committed to UMass.
Lincoln-Sudbury's Kelsey Blanchette is equally impressive in the circle and in the batter's box.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Cam Cloonan
, Dighton-Rehoboth
— A force at the plate with the versatility to play multiple positions, the junior .536 with 14 home runs, 50 runs, and 45 RBIs last season. She is committed to Villanova.
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Dighton-Rehoboth's Cam Cloonan is hoping to do a lot more celebrating this season.
MARK STOCKWELL/THE SUN CHRONICLE/Mark Stockwell / The Sun Chronicle
Breanna Fontes
, Joseph Case
— A senior committed to UMass Dartmouth, Fontes starred behind the dish and finished a .549 average and 38 RBIs.
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Breanna Fontes controls the game from behind the dish for Joseph Case.
Debee Tlumacki
Tessa Francis
, Marblehead
— Francis, a junior, struck out 269 batters in just 155 innings last season, sporting a sparkling 0.69 ERA.
Worcester 6/11/2024 Marblehead's Tessa Francis pitches to Westfield during the MIAA Division 2 softball state semifinal at Worcester State University, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
Ali Gill, King Philip
— Her offensive stats jumped off the page as a sophomore: a .421 average with 12 home runs, 42 runs, 45 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases.
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Delaney Moquin
, Silver Lake
— The two-time Patriot League Keenan MVP fanned 265 in 138 innings with a 0.45 ERA. At the plate, Moquin clubbed 11 home runs with 40 RBIs. She will attend Fairfield.
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Jillian Ondrick
, Weymouth
— A two-time Globe All-Scholastic at Archbishop Williams committed to South Carolina, she instantly makes her hometown Wildcats a contender after her transfer. The reigning Catholic Central MVP hit .411 with 13 homers while fanning 227 in 127 innings with a 1.16 ERA.
Now at Weymouth, Jill Ondrick hit .411 last year for Archbishop Williams.
Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Emma Penniman
, Triton
— The Cape Ann Kinney co-MVP hit .433 with 33 RBIs and fanned 259 hitters last season as a two-way force. The senior is committed to UMass Boston.
Emma Penniman is a two-way force for Triton.
Winslow Townson for The Boston Globe
Mylee Ramer
, Bishop Feehan
— A hard-throwing righthander, the senior struck out 247 in 136 innings last season with a 2.05 ERA. She is headed to Stonehill.
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Stonehill-boune Mylee Ramer is back in the circle for Bishop Feehan.
Jim Davis/Globe Staff
Alyx Rossi
, Bedford
— The Dual County League Foley MVP is bound for Boston College. As a junior, she had a 0.12 ERA and 278 strikeouts along with a .635 average.
Alyx Rossi struck out 278 batters and hit .635 last year for Bedford.
Kayla Bartkowski For The Boston Globe
Sharlotte Stazinski
, Walpole
− The senior did not allow a run in the Timberwolves' march to Division 2 title last season, sporting a 1.06 ERA with 232 strikeouts. A two-time Globe All-Scholastic, Stazinski will play at Colby.
McCoy Walsh
, King Philip
— Equipped with a 1.62 ERA, the junior struck out 186 last spring. A two-time Globe All-Scholastic, Walsh has racked up 420 K's in two seasons.
McCoy Walsh and King Philip are looking to battle it out with Hockomock rival Taunton this season.
MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE
Other names to know
:
Aniyah Bailey
(Taunton),
Priya Bedard
(Medway),
Bella Bourque
(Taunton),
Maddie Coupal
(Bishop Feehan),
Liana Danubio
(Norton),
Kaylee Habib
(Whittier),
Haleigh Kelley
(Dighton-Rehoboth),
Ashleigh Lent
(Lincoln-Sudbury),
Christina Magnett
(Apponequet),
Caitlin Milner
(Central Catholic),
Elsie Testa
(Abington).
Cam Kerry can be reached at
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