Somerville High School’s baseball and softball teams have much in common. Both are coming off losing seasons: 6-12 for baseball in 2011, 4-15 for softball. Both struggled especially in the Greater Boston League, going 0-8 and 2-6, respectively. And both kick off their season this week – softball Monday at Salem, baseball Tuesday vs. St. Clement at Trum Field – trying to focus on fundamentals.
“Bunt, hit and run, play smallball, it’s always a good brand of baseball.” says first-year baseball coach Mike DiCato. He adds his team has enough power to not rely exclusively on manufacturing runs
Softball coach Bill MacDonald says his team will definitely bunt a lot this season, and they’ll also concentrate on better fundamental defense. The 2011 softball team committed 66 errors in 19 games last season, leading to 85 unearned runs.
Luckily for both coaches, their teams have plenty of seniors to provide leadership on the field and keep everyone focused.
“Usually the more mature you are, the more you’re going to listen,” MacDonald says, sizing up the softball team. “So I’m hoping that those seniors lead a little bit more than they have in the past and do the small things. Make sure there’s a good cutoff throw. Make sure your arms are up on the cutoff.”
Adds MacDonald: “The little things, we have to all those little things better, to make us competitive. To give us a shot at winning.”
Should the Highlanders smarten up at the plate and in the field, both teams have the pitching to win games. Seniors Jacqueline Homsi and Verna Estes combined to start every softball game last season, and an extra year of experience can only make them better.
“Jackie has a little more action on her ball,” MacDonald says. “I think it moves a little bit more. Verna is a little flatter. She throws more strikes, Verna.”
For the boys, their pitching rotation starts with senior Robbie Anderson, a three-sport athlete for the Highlanders.
“He can throw three pitches for a strike,” says DiCato. “He has excellent awareness with runners on base, and he throws strikes. He competes out there.”
When not pitching, expect to see Anderson playing second base. His solid mechanics and take-charge attitude on double-plays and force-outs make him a very capable infielder, especially when paired with senior shortstop Zack Sciuto.
“He’s been taking all his reps at shortstop,” DiCato says of Sciuto. “He’s a good athlete, good fundamental ballplayer. Hustles all the time, and he puts together good at-bats.”
The biggest reason Anderon might not be pitching: senior starting pitcher Thomas Lambert, who doubles as backup catcher.
“He’s one of our leaders on the team this year,” DiCato says. “Utility guy: he can do pretty much everything.”
Though the baseball team doesn’t have a captain yet, both teams’ leadership comes from their catchers. For the softball team, that’s senior captain Ashley Auciello.
Somerville catcher Ashley Auciello
The team’s leadoff hitter, Auciello led last season’s team in batting average, hits, runs and walks. She’s also the team’s best base-stealer.
“She’s the heart and soul of the team,” MacDonald says. “She’s obviously our catcher. Captain. Littlest girl on the team, the girls all look up to her.”
Junior catcher Quinton Hawkings, meanwhile, leads the boys. Another take-charge player even at practice, Hawkings constantly focuses on little things such as choosing who’ll catch a popup or using his mitt to give throwers a clear target.
“Quinton’s our guy behind the dish,” DiCato says. “Another kid who works hard, tries to get better everyday, and really likes the position. He’s been doing a great job.”
DiCato comes to Somerville by way of Malden Catholic and UMass-Amherst. In his first few weeks, DiCato says he’s been very happy with his team’s attitude.
“They’re hustling all the time,” Dicato says. “They’re hungry to get better.”
MacDonald, meanwhile, begins his eighth season with the Highlanders hoping to shift the pressure his girls’ have felt in the past onto their tough opponents.
“Each day we come out, I’m going to say, ‘Today, why not us girls?’ Why not us today?’” MacDonald. “And that’s the attitude I expect them to have.”
The softball team plays its home-opener Tuesday at Trum Field against St. Clements.