Wells’ Savannah Tardiff takes a cut during the Warriors’ victory at Cape Elizabeth High on Monday. Drew Bonifant photo
CAPE ELIZABETH — The Wells softball team is hoping things are different this spring, and the best evidence yet may have been on the Cape Elizabeth scoreboard Monday afternoon.
Last year, the Warriors saw their season end with a 19-2 loss to the Capers. This time, it was a lopsided again but in the other direction, with Wells rolling past Cape Elizabeth, 18-4, in five innings.
“We came into this like we didn’t have any expectations set for us,” sophomore catcher Savannah Tardiff said. “We just go in having no high expectations, no pressure, and we just play our game.”
It’s feeling like a different story in several ways for Wells so far this spring. After going 6-10 last year, the Warriors are 5-3 this season. A team that had dead spots in the lineup is getting contributions throughout the order.
And the intangibles are more in line this season. Camaraderie and chemistry, in short supply last year, are in ample quantity now.
“We weren’t a bad team last year, but we weren’t a family almost, a team, we didn’t have that bond,” said Tardiff, who went 4 for 4 with two doubles and four RBI. “We’re more connected this year.”
After settling for also-ran status last season, there’s hope among the Warriors that they can be a contender in Class B South this year. They have a strong battery in Tardiff and sophomore pitcher Delani Brown, who had four strikeouts and four hits allowed in five innings Monday, in addition to a double and an RBI at the plate. Ava Kreie (run, two RBI), Chloe Carbonneau (three runs), Nikki Aleman (two runs, RBI) and Madison Gagne form a strong senior core. Freshman center fielder Payton Fazzina (two hits, three runs) has provided a spark as a new addition.
“We just needed to come cohesively together,” Coach Kevin Fox said. “A team that’s not that good, but plays with a lot of heart and plays together, can kind of exceed where they should be. And then when you couple that with talent, you can have a pretty successful season.”
After a 1-2 start, Wells has won four of five and its last three, and the players are thinking they could be a tough out later in the season.
“We know we’re not who we were last year. We know we’re better than we were last year,” Kreie said. “Coming into games, people are like ‘Oh, it’s just Wells.’ Then we show them we’re not the same team, we’re going to fight for everything.”
Wells never let up Monday, scoring in every inning. Tardiff’s two-run single made it 4-0 in the second, and Cape Elizabeth wildness led to two more runs in the third and four in the fourth. An eight-run fifth broke the game wide open.
Cape (4-2) got two hits and three RBI from Elsie Maxwell and a double from Sophia Chung, but Coach Danica Gleason said her young team needs to show more than it did Monday.
“The beginning of our season was great and a little unexpected, and I think the girls kind of got content. This needed to happen to us,” said Gleason, whose team returns only two players with extensive varsity experience in Chung and Grace Callahan. “This needed to happen to prove to themselves that we can’t just show up and expect to win.”
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