EHS Roundup
Weather permitting, EHS softball, baseball teams ready for openers
Just when we thought that Mother Nature’s mild spring this year was a make-up call for last years’s horrible winter that wiped out most of the first two weeks of the 2015 spring sports season, she tossed a wicked curve ball this week with a snowstorm that has wreaked havoc with the start of the 2016 spring sports campaign.
Both the Everett High softball and baseball teams were scheduled to open their seasons tomorrow (Thursday), but the combination of icy, snow-covered fields and the forecast of a 100 percent chance of rain for tomorrow all but assures that the start of the season for the Crimson Tide boys and girls of spring will be put on hold.
Coach Joe Lento’s baseball squad has looked sharp thus far in the pre-season. The Crimson Tide will be led by captains Ken DeLorey and John Uga, both of whom are returning all-stars, who should provide a lot of clout in the middle of the Everett lineup.
Junior Bryan Bessler is a three-year starter at second base and will be joined in the middle of the Everett defensive alignment by senior Marc Faia at shortstop. Junior Monty Mack figures to hold down first base.
A pair of sophomores, Jalil Marinez and Jason Hennessey, will be counted upon to provide the 1-2 starting pitching combo. Faia, Chris Boucher, and Jochy Liriano (who also will see duty at DH and in the outfield) will provide pitching support in long relief and in the 3-4-5 starter roles.
“We’re excited about the upcoming season,” said Lento. “We’re still figuring some things out, but we will be looking to execute as a whole team and we will be counting upon everybody to contribute.”
Lento and his crew are set to play at Methuen Monday and will host Malden next Wednesday in their Greater Boston League opener.
Coach Stacy Poste and her softball squad likewise were scheduled to open their season tomorrow (Thursday), hosting Tewksbury. The Lady Crimson Tide’s scrimmage yesterday (Tuesday) was cancelled and with tomorrow’s game also likely to be scrapped, the Lady Crimson Tide will be hoping to get their season underway Saturday morning when they host Revere at Glendale at 11:00.
The 2016 Everett team will be led by senior captains Talia Riccioli and Erica Ginepra. Other returning players from the 2015 varsity squad that advanced to the first round of the Division 1 North Sectional of the MIAA state tournament (where the Lady Crimson Tide dropped a heartbreaking 2-1 decision to eventual D-1 North champ Methuen) are juniors Erin Bessler, Diana Concannon, Hailey Powers, and Samantha Uga.
New players to the varsity are two seniors, Erin Callahan and Aholanny Soto, underclassmen Kloey Cardillo, Grace Mullaly and Andrea Landaverde, and promising freshmen Nalani Marinez, Kaylee Nearen, and Aliya Sahraoui.
In the pitching department, Poste has been working with the trio of Andrea Landaverde, last year’s JV pitcher Hailey Warren, and first baseman Hailey Powers.
“I hate to take Hailey off first base, but she will work to improve her pitching and you need someone that will step up for the good of the team,” noted Poste.
“We will struggle this year without the pitching we have had in the past,” added the coach. “But we have a strong defense and we will need our hitting to come around.”
Next week Poste and her crew will play at Malden Monday and at Haverhill next Friday.