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Sports

Stoughton High Softball Returns Solid Core, Looks for Third Straight Postseason Berth

2013 Stoughton High Spring Sports Preview: Looking at the softball team, which behind pitcher Emily Cramer and captains Megan Flaherty, Michelle Bisbee and Jordan Angelos will look to make a third straight trip to the playoffs.

The Stoughton High softball team will look to make a return trip to the MIAA State Tournament, after making it last year as the #24 seed in the Division 1 South Sectional, upsetting #9 seed Marshfield, before losing to the .

The Knights, despite losing 12 seniors from last year's team, return most of their starters/key players, which puts them in good position to contend for another playoff berth. 

Stoughton pitcher Emily Cramer (junior) and catcher Payton Pizzano (sophomore) will look to have another solid year, while the Knights have a potentially explosive lineup top to bottom. 

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In addition to Cramer and Pizzano, captain Megan Flaherty will start at shortstop and brings offensive punch to the lineup and fellow captains Michelle Bisbee and Jordan Angelos man the outfield along with senior Emma Zuk, who is solid in centerfield. 

Last season's record: 8-11 (Made MIAA state tournament despite finishing under .500 due to finishing second in the Hockomock League's Davenport Division.)

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Head Coach: Janet Sullivan

Captains: Seniors Michelle Bisbee, Jordan Angelos, and Megan Flaherty

First Game/Key Games: The Knights first game is Tuesday, April 2 when they travel to Attleboro. First pitch is at 3:30 p.m. Stoughton's home opener is Thursday, April 4 at 3:30 p.m. against Franklin. 

Key Hockomock League games are listed below:

  • Wed 4/10 - Stoughton vs. Sharon 3:45 p.m.
  • Wed 4/17 - Stoughton vs. Foxboro 11 a.m.
  • Mon 4/22 - Stoughton vs. Oliver Ames 3:30 p.m.
  • Wed 4/24 - Stoughton @. Milford 3:30 p.m.
  • Fri 4/26 - Stoughton @ Canton 3:30 p.m.
  • Mon 5/6 - Stoughton @ Sharon 3:45 p.m.
  • Wed 5/8 - Stoughton @ Foxboro 3:30 p.m.
  • Mon 5/13 - Stoughton @ Oliver Ames 3:30 p.m.
  • Wed 5/15 - Stoughton vs. Milford 3:30 p.m.
  • Mon 5/20 - Stoughton vs. Canton 3:30 p.m.

A complete schedule can be found by clicking here

Burning Questions:

1. Who replaces Kelsey Moriarity at first and Nicole Barton at third?

Although Coach Sullivan has not set anyone in stone to be the starters at first and third base at this point, there are players in mind to be the successor to Moriarity and Barton.

"At first base right now it looks like [senior] Lauren Carmichael will probably be the starter," Sullivan said, adding that another possible option at first base is senior Kayla Motley. Motley, a junior, has height and provides a good solid target at first base when called upon.

"Third base is still up for grabs," Sullivan continued, "but I would have to say just because her bat, [freshman] Nicole Bodette is looking pretty strong there. [sophomore Danielle] Tesler is looking pretty good there also."

2. With the loss of 12 seniors from last year's team, will depth be an issue?

Sullivan feels as the Knights have some strong new talent coming to the team which can help to replace the abundance of seniors from last year's squad.

"Nicole Bodette and Samantha Malley are two freshman with some good pop on their bat," Sullivan said. "Rachel Estremera [sophomore] and Emma Sinkus [junior] are new to our team. They both have some real good outfield skills, and some great speed on the bases." 

Sullivan said junior Gina McGaughey will be a utility type player, with good speed on the bases. Senior Kerry Backman is vying for a starting role in the infield.

Sullivan also talked about sophomores LeiAndra Busby, and the speed she can bring to the team, and Samantha Mattie, the returning second baseman from last year (recovering from an injury) as two more players who can provide an array of talents to this team, along with senior Nicole Kerman. 

We're picking up some vital role players, people who can hit, pinch-hit, and run," Sullivan said. 

Outlook:

The Knight players are settling for no less than a return trip to the postseason. Senior captains Megan Flaherty and Michelle Bisbee have high expectations for their team this year.

"My goal/expectation for this year is to go at least 9-9, to qualify to make the tournament" Flaherty said.

Bisbee added, "As a team our main goal is to make it further in the tournament than last year."

It is no secret to Stoughton that a big piece of their game revolves around junior Emily Cramer, the Knights pitcher. Cramer had a great sophomore year last year pitching the Knights into the second round of the tournament. The captains are expecting no less of Cramer this year.

"I think that Emily will have a big year this season. She has continued to work on her pitching and came back with a little more speed," Flaherty said about Stoughtons ace.

Bisbee agreed: "Emily will have a good season. She has continued to improve her pitching and will only get better."

Sullivan also eluded to how big Cramer and also her catcher, Pizzano, will be for Stoughton.

"A big part of softball is your pitcher-catcher and they come back much stronger this year than last," Sullivan said.

With the loss of 12 seniors Stoughton will have big shoes to try to replace. Fortunately for Stoughton, the Knights are returning a large core of their starting players.

Bisbee believes that the production brought by the seniors of last year can be replaced in the talent that they have this year.

"Last year the seniors brought a lot. They were good at both offense and defense. [But] this year we have been able to gain players that can fill that void on both offense and defense."

Coach Sullivan likes the way her team is starting to come along early in the season, and she is optimistic her team can once again for the third straight year qualify for the state tournament.

"I think we can definitely qualify for tournament," she said. "It's all going to depend on if we can improve offensively, that's an area we struggled with last year."

She added, "We do have a couple of new teams added to the league, which are softball powerhouses in Milford and Taunton. They are going to present a couple of real challenges but yes I am optimistic that this team can qualify - it'll be the third year in a row we qualify for tournament and hopefully we can improve [from] last year."

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