HOULTON, Maine — The Houlton softball squad had an incredible run a season ago, but was bounced early in the playoffs.
That bitter loss is something fifth-year coach Travis Gentle, and many of the returning players have not forgotten and will look to correct this season.
The Shires rolled through the 2016 regular season with an impressive 12-4 record, which earned the team the No. 5 seed in Class C North. After a first-round bye, Houlton fell, 14-9, in the quarterfinals to Mattanawcook Academy — a team Houlton had beaten twice during the regular schedule.
“Our goal is to make the playoffs and anything can happen from there,” Gentle said. “We have an experienced team, but I also want to start to merge some of the younger players in with the veterans. We have 7-8 kids who have started over the years. All have played multiple games and have experience. We have good hitters and really good baserunners. We steal a lot to help us manufacture runs.”
The Shire roster includes seniors Elizabeth Ward (1B/SS/OF/C), Makayla Fitzpatrick (P/OF), Emma Peterson (P/OF) and Morgan Grant (2B/OF); juniors Aspen Flewelling (C/SS), Carolyn Mooers (OF/1B/2B), Tyra Gentle (3B/1B) and Alex Maker (2B/OF); sophomores Tessa Solomon (C/1B), Molly Schneider (OF), Mackenzie Fitzpatrick (OF); and freshmen Morgan Bailey (1B/OF) and Elizabeth Phillips (2B/OF).
One player the Shires will be sorely missing is junior Kristen Graham, who injured her knee during basketball and will miss the entire season. Graham was the team’s top pitcher the past two seasons.
”What people don’t realize is that not only do I have to replace her, but I replace the person that replaces her,” coach Gentle said. “So I am essentially replacing two positions that were established last year.”
Several other athletes at Houlton Middle-High School do not play softball, the coach said.
“A lot of athletes that could help us do not play softball,” he said. “They chose to play AAU basketball or travel soccer. Due to the ‘Bona Fide Team Rule’ they basically can not do both. Our softball program really suffers from it. These athletes play soccer and basketball at the high school level, and then choose not to play softball but those other programs even though most of them played junior high softball.”
Some of the areas coach Gentle plans to work on as the season progresses is “situational awareness.”
“Every year I/we spend countless hours going over things I believe they should already know,” he said. “Things like what base we throw to with runners on after a hit or fly ball. Little things that should be taught at the younger levels like having to tag up on a fly ball, running through the bag at first on a ball hit in the infield, and what is a forceout. I spend a lot of time on things I believe the should already know by the time they get to varsity.”
Houlton opens its season Tuesday, April 25 at Orono at 4 p.m.
