Lynnfield 3-29

MARCH 29, 2018 WEEKLYNEWS.NET - 978-532-5880 11
Lynnfield softball team hopes for a turnaround
By Anne Marie Tobin
LYNNFIELD — The Lynnfield
softball team is hoping to turn
things around from last year when
the team had its first losing season
in the last six years after qualifying
for the North Division 3 tournament
for five consecutive years.
Last year the Pioneers had a
dismal turnout at tryouts, but got
off to a decent start with wins in its
first two games. But after that, it
was all downhill, as the Pioneers
lost six of their next seven games
and never really got back on track.
Lynnfield finished the season 7-11.
The numbers were so low that
Lynnfield, at times, didn’t have
enough players to field a varsity and
junior varsity team on the same day.
Fast forward to this year and
early indicators are that the
Pioneers may be facing the same
challenges this year.
The Pioneers lost just two seniors
to graduation, but four other
varsity players, including two seniors
with starting experience, decided
to call it a day and hung up
their spikes this season.
The only good news is the
Pioneers won an appeal over the
winter to remain in Division 3
for the next four years after the
MIAA had slated them to move up
to Division 2. Softball was the fifth
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Lynnfield team slated by the MIAA
to move up in their respective divisions
along with football, boys
soccer, girls volleyball and wrestling.
While those other four sports
failed in their appeals, softball was
the only one to find success.
Leading the way for the
Pioneers this season is 2-year captain
and pitcher Hayley O’Brien,
who is committed to play college
ball at Fitchburg State University.
O’Brien, a 4-year varsity veteran
and 3-year starter in the circle
who received CAL First Team
honors last season, is the only senior
returning this year.
“Hayley has worked so hard
to improve on a daily basis,”
said Marinelli. “She is no doubt
the most dedicated player on the
team in terms of her commitment
and work ethic. My only regret
with Hayley is that she never has
had the kind of support behind
her that would have allowed her
to be a more dominant pitcher.
Fitchburg is lucky to have her and
I am sure she will contribute to
any team she is on.”
Junior Taylor Tringali, who
started at second base last year,
and Allie Wing, who started at
catcher, are back for their third
varsity campaigns.
“Taylor and Allie have the potential
to put it all together this
year, both offensively and defensively,
but they and frankly everyone
on this team needs to be
more consistent,” said Marinelli.
“Allie is probably our best bunter
and we need her to be solid behind
the plate, and I think she has
the potential to do just that.”
The Pioneers feature a talented
sophomore group, many of whom
stepped into starting roles last
season as freshmen out of necessity.
Samantha Lebruska and Breanna
Serabian worked their way into
starting roles in the outfield, while
Jenna Freni, Gabrielle Langone,
Talia Bridgham and Mia Daly also
saw varsity action last season.
Marinelli said that Freni is a
solid hitter and can hit for power,
while Lebruska may also see
action at first base. He expects
Langone, Bridgham and Daly,
who were swing players last
season, are also in the mix for
varsity innings, as are freshmen
Jillian Babine and Chloe
Shapleigh, who received 8th
grade waivers last year.
As far as the competition goes,
Marinelli said it’s more of the same.
“Amesbury (defending
Baker Division champion),
North Reading (defending
Kinney Division champion) and
Pentucket are always tough, and
with the way the schedule is set
up this year, our lack of experience
in the early part of the
season might keep us from competing,”
Marinelli said. “All we
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can hope is that we get better as
the year goes on. We have many
players who are capable of competing,
but we need all of them
to be more consistent and also
need others to come along and
continue to improve. We lost too
many players with varsity experience,
and frankly when you lose
any kid with experience at the
varsity level, it is going to hurt a
team. When you have to replace
those kids with others with little
to no experience, it’s a killer.”
Lynnfield opens the season
next Wednesday, April 4 with
a non-league game on the road
against East Boston (3:45). The
Pioneers will play also play East
Boston in a rematch at home on
Thursday, May 17, also at 3:45.
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