FILE PHOTO
Senior Ashley Stiles returns for the Magicians this spring at second base.
By MIKE ALONGI
The Marblehead softball team is in a bit of a rebuilding mode after losing two-thirds of its starting lineup from last year, but a solid core still remains intact. While there are plenty of positions to replace, coach Johnny Gold knows that his team is solid where it counts: up the middle.
“Our middle infield is back, plus our centerfielder and both of our pitchers from last year,” said Gold, now in his 13th season with the Magicians. “So while it’s never good to lose as many starters as we did, at least we’re strong in the middle of the field.”
Senior shortstop Montana Joyce and senior second baseman Ashley Stiles make up the middle infield, while junior Hannah Garthe returns to her spot in centerfield. On the mound will be a rotation of junior Madi Ernst and sophomore Charlotte Plakans, both of whom saw time on the hill last season.
“They’re pretty much interchangeable, which is huge for us,” said Gold. “There could be times where we ride one or the other depending on how well they’re doing, or it could be a strict rotation all year long. The best part about having two good pitchers like this is we can experiment a little and see what works for us.”
While it appears that the Magicians will be a solid defensive team once again this year, replacing production at the plate could prove to be a challenge. The seven seniors that left to graduation (McKenzie Joyce, Allison Kapoll, Sara Bornstein, Sabrina Doughman, Emily Promise, Emily Trasher and Emily Tejada) combined for 20 home runs last season, a majority of the team’s total.
“We’re losing a lot of power at the plate this year, there’s no doubt,” said Gold. “We’re going to need our pitching and defense to keep us in games and then get timely hits, that’s how we’ll have to win games.”
It’s going to be tough to get back to where the Magicians were last season (17-5, No. 3 seed in Division 2 North) due to a challenging schedule made more difficult with the addition of four Greater Boston League teams into the Northeastern Conference. Add in tough matchups with teams like St. Mary’s, North Reading and Wakefield, and this season will certainly be a grind for Marblehead.
“The league got tougher this year with the new teams added, and we’re already swimming upstream having to replace so many pieces,” said Gold. “But the girls have a great attitude so far and they’re working really hard. We’re going to stay competitive this year and see how it goes.”
Joining Gold on the coaching staff this season is newcomer Genevieve Benoit, a former star catcher at St. Mary’s and Salve Regina, and longtime assistant coach Todd Norman.
The action gets going for Marblehead next Monday afternoon when they take on NEC rival Swampscott in a conference matchup.
