Youth was the theme on the diamond when the Windham High School softball team hosted Gray-New Gloucester last Friday afternoon for an exhibition tune-up before the start of the regular season this week.
Both teams had freshmen starting pitchers on the mound. Alicia Valente toed the rubber for the visiting Patriots while Liz Silvius tossed for the Eagles. Both impressed, as the game was tied at 1-1 until Gray-New Gloucester scored three in the top of the final frame to pull out a 4-1 win.
The Patriots are without No. 1 starter Laura Getchell, who is nursing an ankle injury. She may be out another two weeks, said Gray-New Gloucester coach Melanie Craig, who is confident in her freshman’s arm until Getchell returns.
“Alicia has stepped up and done a phenomenal job,” Craig said.
The Patriots have no seniors and only three juniors on the roster. Craig expects to start seven sophomores. There’s a lot to learn, as was evinced by some of the inexperienced plays in the scrimmage. Fielders on both sides weren’t always sure which base to throw to; base runners at times struggled with when to tag up and when to take off on fly balls.
But Craig said the team is getting there. She’s seen significant strides since the start of practice just a couple weeks ago. A full preseason schedule, which included a trip to Rhode Island, has helped.
“We’re spending a lot of time covering basics,” Craig said. “We’re really focusing on fundamentals. Softball is a thinking game. That’s what I love about it. But you have to learn the game. You can’t let up. If you know there are two outs, you’ve got to take off running. You can’t stand around and watch – you’re going to get caught.”
Windham is in a similar situation, having graduated 11 seniors from last year’s squad, which lost in the Western Maine Class A quarterfinals to eventual state champion Scarborough. Only one starter returned and the roster stood at the minimum for the scrimmage.
“We just lost three to grades today,” said Windham coach Bob Blanchard. “We’re down to nine. We’ve got five (JV players) practicing with us next week. It’s like a second tryout for them.”
Silvius is the first freshman Blanchard has carried on the roster in six years. He likes her instincts and abilities.
“She impressed me,” Blanchard said. “Just her demeanor on the field. She knows where the ball goes. She fields the bunts in front of her and she did a very good job of keeping the ball in the strike zone.”
The Eagles hope to have a full roster for Monday’s opener vs. Noble. Blanchard said the goal is simply to get better as the year progresses.
“Baby steps,” he said, “is our focus.”
Results from Gray-New Gloucester’s opener on Wednesday vs. Lake Region were not available at press time.
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