Softball Outlook Holds Some Promise

Fans of high school softball in Manchester most likely will see the three schools play better than they have at the start. Each team is at a different stage, with different strengths and weaknesses, and have a combined 2-5 record through the first three days of the season last week.

East Catholic (1-2), the most successful last year among Manchester and Cheney Teach by finishing with a 17-5 record, is in the midst of opening against four tough teams and began with a win and two losses. Cheney Tech (1-1), 16-6 last year, split its first two games last week. Meanwhile, Manchester (0-2) has hit well in starting the season with back-to-back losses in trying to improve on last year’s 4-16 record.

The Eagles’ three-game performance has not surprised coach Kevin Keena, in his sixth year. They’ve received strong pitching from senior Allyson Fournier, an All-CCC North selection in 2010. They’ve also fielded crisply. They haven’t, however, been terrors at the plate. The first four opponents for East Catholic, eliminated last year in the CIAC Class M state tournament’s second round, compiled a combined record of 88-17 in 2010.

East Catholic opened with a 2-1 loss at Southington on April 6. The Blue Knights were 21-2 last year and were eliminated in the Class LL semifinals. The following day, the Eagles won 2-0 at Coginchaug in Durham. The Blue Devils finished 19-5 a year ago after losing in the Class S semifinals. On April 8 in Manchester, East Catholic lost 1-0 to Conard-West Hartford. The Chieftains were 13-8 last year after losing in the LL first round.

The Eagles, who return three starters from a year ago, end their challenging early stretch on Monday against Rocky Hill at home. Rocky Hill lost in the Class M quarterfinals at 21-2.

“We’ve been on base all the time but we haven’t produced,” Keena said. “After being inside and hitting on machines, we’ll get comfortable hitting outside. I think it’s a matter of time until we start to put a few hits together.”

Against Conard, the top five batters in the order walked eight times. “They weren’t intentional walks,” Keena said. “They weren’t looking to give us anything good to hit.”

Fournier struck out 16 Conard batters. She fanned nine against Southington and followed up with 12 against Coginchaug for a Week 1 total of 37. Fournier went 8-2 in 2010, with a 0.94 earned runs average, two no-hitters, 124 strikeouts and one save.

East Catholic’s other returning All-CCC North player is senior third baseman Shannon Klock, a four-year starter who filled in for an all-division catcher in 2010. Junior Kelly Robichaud is back at catcher where she was an All-Northwest Conference selection as a freshman, hitting over .500. Senior shortstop Julie Maloney is a four-year starter. Sophomore second baseman Laura Skoly is a transfer with varsity experience elsewhere.

New to the lineup are four outfielders who will be in a rotation – sophomores Hope McCarrick, Daria Marvasti and Erin Kilpatrick and freshman Monica Darby.

“We’re going to get more comfortable with our roles as we gain experience,” Keena said. “It’s going to be how fast everyone gets up to speed.”

Manchester’s bid to improve on its 4-16 record from a year ago will hinge in great part on its ability to tighten up its defense as well as its two sophomore right-handed pitchers gaining experience. The Indians made 11 errors in a 27-26 loss at Farmington on April 6 and 13 in a 30-15 loss to RHAM the next day at home. Julie Sirois, who plays right field when she’s not on the mound, pitched most of the Farmington game and split time with Morgan Daley against RHAM.

Two seniors and a sophomore are returning to the starting lineup for coach Chris Crawford, in his second year. Senior center fielder Sara Bonino went 4-for-5 against RHAM. Senior Erica Bartle is back in left field. Sophomore Lauren Yaffa, 4-for-8 in the first two games, returns to shortstop.

Junior infielder Chelcee Schroll went 3-for-4 in each game. Junior catcher Marissa Fenny leads the Indians with 14 RBI and three home runs. She had a grand slam in going 4-for-5 against RHAM. “She’s hitting with confidence,” Crawford said.

Manchester went a combined 59-26 in the four seasons before Crawford became coach and participation was down in 2010. Almost 80 girls signed-up in the winter to participate and 60 players tried out and Crawford is pleased that his off-season attempts to drum up interest have paid off.

On the field, Crawford likes the bats. “One plus so far is that we’re hitting better than I expected,” he said. “But we have to cut back on the errors. The routine, make-able plays we’re just not making. We can improve our defense if the pitchers are throwing strikes. Neither pitcher has varsity experience and that’s where we’re going to take our lumps.”

Defense didn’t help Cheney Tech on Opening Day in a 12-5 loss to Wilcox Tech in Manchester on April 6 when the Beavers made six errors. On April 8, the Beavers’ defense improved in a 17-2 win over Vinal Tech at home with just one error.

Cheney Tech went 6-0 to win the Capital Division of the Constitution State Conference in 2010. Its conference record was 11-1. The Beavers were 15-4 in the regular season before going 1-1 in the conference tournament and being eliminated in the first round of the Class S state tournament.

The Beavers are returning eight starters, two of whom were All-CSC selections in 2010. Junior Katie Sirois has struck out 16 batters in two games and has gone 6-for-8 at the plate. She had 123 strikeouts in going 16-6 as a sophomore and she compiled a 17-5 record as a freshman in 2009 with 202 strikeouts. Sirois hit .500 with a .789 slugging percentage last year.

Junior Paige Marshall hit .406 with 29 stolen bases in 2010 when she was named All-CSC shortstop. She is a three-year starter who bats leadoff and had a home run and four stolen bases in the first two games.

Senior captain Tiffany Bonilla returns to second base, her third year as a starter there and her fourth overall as a starter. She has a career fielding percentage of over .900. She homered against Vinal Tech. Senior Paige Parker, an outfielder and catcher, bats cleanup. She had five home runs last year. Sophomore Sierra Dockum, an outfielder a year ago, is easing into her role as catcher this year, said coach Al Hovasse. Sophomore Jackie Ellis returns to first base and junior Alexandra Berthaut, an outfielder last year, has moved to third based. Ellis and Berthaut each has a triple to her credit in 2011.

“We’re really going to have to tighten up the defense – that’s the key thing,” said Hovasse, who is in his ninth year as head coach. “That’s something that’s going to hold us back if we want to contend for the league championship. We must play fundamentally sound softball. We have the physical tools. We must be smarter, too.”

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