21-05-2025
Armed with a surgically repaired right elbow, Walpole softball ace Sharlotte Stazinski is more dangerous than ever
Upon returning to school, the alarm began to blare in her head. What was wrong? Could she still hold a pencil? She lost feeling in the fingertips of her dominant hand.
After the fall volleyball season, the injury was inhibiting daily activities. Stazinski underwent ulnar nerve transposition surgery, a procedure that moves the ulnar nerve in the elbow so that it is no longer inhibited or pinched.
Prior to surgery, her ulnar nerve was compressed in the inside of the elbow, leading to a loss of sensation.
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'Sometimes I couldn't feel my fingers, so that was the most alarming part,' said Stazinski. 'My fingers were a lot weaker and I didn't really realize [how much] until I got to the doctors.'
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The surgery was a success. But in the healing process, she was not able to pick up a softball from before Thanksgiving until the start of April. Courtesy of rigorous physical therapy,she has been able to able to pitch as a senior.
'It means so much to be back here,' said Stazinski, a smile enveloping her face ahead of senior night festivities Monday against Natick. 'I really didn't think that I was going to be able to play this season. All of the hard work, it was worth it. It really feels special.'
Even with her ailing right arm, Sharlotte Stazinski pitched five straight postseason shutouts to capture Walpole's first state softball title.
MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE
In
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In Walpole, she is revered. She mentors young players, teaching pitching lessons.
'I want to instill in them not just how to pitch, but how to go about it and how to have a positive mind-set and always be strong,' said Stazinski.
A four-year starter, Stazinski has racked up 633 career strikeouts in 437 innings, with a sparkling 1.38 ERA. This season, she has a 1.42 ERA with 127 punchouts in 79 innings for a 12-4 Walpole squad ranked fifth in
'She's easily one of the best players, talent-wise, that has played for me,' said Walpole coach
Rachael
Sprague
. 'She's changed the scope of this team over the last four years.'
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Post-surgery, Stazinski has noticeably more spin and control and is back to feeling 100 percent. She's able to throw a riseball once again. She overpowers hitters, mixing speeds and locations, painting the frame of the strike zone.
'I was struggling to get the spin that I wanted,' said Stazinski. 'When I realized this, it all made sense because my fingers were so much weaker. Now, I feel like I have more spin and more control.'
Committed to play at Colby College, Stazinski does not take her senior season for granted. She places balls on the tee for her teammates, expediting the process of getting hacks in midgame. As composed as she is in the circle — where she possesses the mental strength of a high-level goaltender or golfer, able to focus on the task at hand — she possesses the qualities of a natural leader and a great teammate.
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'She's always played pretty stoically, but being a senior and being a captain now, she's a lot more outspoken,' said Sprague. 'She's really leading by example and leading vocally. She's just out there with so much more confidence, even after the surgery. She's in control, all the time.'
In the MIAA, baseball pitchers have limitations on how many pitches they can throw before facing mandatory rest. Softball has no such restrictions. Combined with a nonstop schedule in the summer with college coaches looking on, pitchers can easily overdo it.
'In high school, we're throwing so many games in a short period of time,' said Stazinski. 'Everyone needs to take care of their arm.'
Walpole senior Sharlotte Stazinski has mastered blocking out the noise and focusing when inside the circle.
MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE
Extra bases
▪ Taunton, the
On Saturday, the top-ranked Tigers (17-0)
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Two days later, the Tigers
Cate Larson
and
Aniyah Bailey
.
'All I keep wondering is how are we not ranked?' said Taunton coach
Michelle Raposo
. 'We have some incredible athletes on this team.'
Raposo lauds the Tigers' work ethic and their approach to each game.
'They all put in their heart and soul every single day,' she said.
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▪ Buoyed by a 1-2 punch in the circle, Joseph Case is getting hot at just the right time.
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Sophomore
Lila Alvarez
, who crossed the 300-strikeout threshold Friday, has compiled a 1.86 ERA with 116 strikeouts this season.
'Obviously, it's huge for us when you keep the other team's scoring to a minimum,' Case coach
Shannon Silva
said. 'Her accuracy is so great, she walks very few batters, she keeps it to a minimum.'
Paired with Alvarez is junior
Cailyn Durand
, who has struck out 42 in 26 shutout innings.
'She's started her own games, as well as thrown in relief several times this year, and she's doing a great job for us,' Silva added.
Games to watch
Wednesday, No. 8 Walpole at Needham, 4 p.m.
— Needham took the first meeting, 6-3, in April; the rematch is for the Bay State Herget title. Two great arms in Stazinski and Audrey Muzikant have this one penciled in as a pitchers' duel.
Wednesday, No. 12 Norton at No. 10 Joseph Case, 4 p.m.
— Case is flying high following its
Thursday, No. 7 Bishop Feehan at No. 13 Attleboro, 3:30 p.m.
— Feehan ace Mylee Ramer has a tall task ahead of her: shutting down a high-powered Attleboro offense that has raked against some of the top pitchers in the state.
Friday, No. 3 King Philip at No. 5 Lincoln-Sudbury, 4:30 p.m.
— Each squad is looking to get back on track following losses to Taunton and Bedford, respectively.
Correspondent Joe Eachus contributed to this story.
Cam Kerry can be reached at
