Main Line softball teams looking to get into swing this spring

The weather has been warming up the past few weeks, and so have the hopes of a number of Main Line high school softball squads who are off to a good start this spring. Conestoga was off to a 9-0 start as of April 15 (7-0 in the Central League); Episcopal Academy was 9-2, Haverford High was 6-1 in the Central League; Academy of Notre Dame was 5-2 (as of Tuesday); and Shipley was 4-0.
Here’s an early-season look at the Main Line high school softball squads:

Academy of Notre Dame
Head coach: Carl Ellis, fourth year.
Last year’s record: 12-3 overall, 9-3 Inter-Ac.
Key returnees: junior pitcher/shortstop Grace Jackson, junior pitcher/shortstop Caroline Adams, senior catcher Sophia Haub.
Others to watch: junior third baseman/first baseman Bianca Rosato, junior third baseman/first baseman Marissa Bruno, senior second baseman/centerfielder Samantha Mcgarvey.
Outlook: Ellis said, “Our biggest strength is our pitching duo of Grace Jackson and Caroline Adams. Our biggest key to success will ber the consistency of our offense.”

Archbishop Carroll
Head coach: Mike Lorine, second year.
Key returnees: senior second baseman Katelyn Barker, junior outfielder/second baseman Erin Boyle, sophomore third baseman/second baseman Sophia Spurio, sophomore shortstop/pitcher Julia Disands, sophomore catcher Christina Jackson, sophomore first baseman Nicollette Cashin.
Others to watch: freshman shortstop/outfielder/catcher Cheyenne Niehoff (“fast lefty slapper” per Lorine), freshman outfielder Maya Preston (“extremely fast lefty slapper” per Lorine), freshman pitcher Gianna Liciadello, freshman utility player Molly Devenney (“fast on the basepaths” per Lorine).
Outlook: As of April 15, the Patriots were 4-4,overall, 4-2 in the Catholic League. “Our strength is our mixture of speed and power at the plate,” said Lorine. “With a roster of 14 players that are either freshmen or sophomores we have a bright future ahead of us. Our challenges are with youth – playing clean, mistake-free defense is a must. Our greatest strength might be speed.”

Baldwin School
Head coach: Bryan Garrett, third year.
Last year’s record: 12-7 overall, 6-6 Inter-Ac.
Key returnees: junior catcher Hanna Maier, sophomore third baseman Alaina Donnelly, sophomore shortstop Tessa Pearlstein, freshman center fielder Blake Landow, sophomore pitcher Maura Smith, senior left fielder Julia Kait, senior first baseman Georgia Dahm, junior second baseman Alexis Loomis.
Others to watch: sophomore right fielder Presley Daggett, senior left fielder Azzaya Johnson.
Outlook: As of April 16, the Polar Bears are off to a solid start, with a 5-4 record. Garrett said, “The biggest strength of this team is how hard they play the game. Being a young team we need to work harder to continue proving ourselves as we build confidence as a team and individuals.”

Conestoga
Head coach: Pete Ricci, fourth year.
Last year’s record: 17-7.
Key rturnees: senior shortstop Olivia Cepielik, senior center fielder Jenny Noll, senior catcher Emme Rycyzyn, senior third baseman Faith Walker, junior pitcher Lauren Lofland, junior second baseman Claire Overton.
Outlook: The Pioneers were off to a 9-0 start as of of April 15 (7-0 in the Central League). In the pre-season, Ricci said, “We have playoff-tested veterans and good pitching. Our biggest challenge this season is replacing Katie Mayock and Rachel Lopez’s offensive production. The key to our success this season is winning close games – we’re a little different offensively than we were last year, so we need to take advantage of opportunities to score.”

Episcopal Academy
Head coach: Kelly Edwards, third year.
Last year’s record: 6-9.
Key returnees: senior first basemen Grace Smith, junior shortstop Belle Volatile, sophomore pitcher Emma Tansky, sophomore center fielder Hailee Moran,
Others to watch: senior third basemen Maddie Loughead (returning after a season off), sophomore catcher Elliana Hopple, freshman pitcher Karen Xiao.
Outlook: EA is off to a good start, with a 9-2 record as of April 15. In the pre-season, Edwards said, “The team looks great this year. They work well together and communicate like a team that has been playing together for years. Many of the girls play year round, which has made it easier to step on the field after a cold winter and look like we never stepped off last spring. Our biggest challenge will come in staying healthy. We have a small roster that fits together perfectly.”

Friends’ Central
Head coaches: Steve Colucci and Bob Bartholomew, third year.
Last year’s record: 4-8 overall, 4-6 Friends Schools League.
Key returnees: senior shortstop Zoe Shoemaker, senior center fielder Julia Nierenberg.
Others to watch: second baseman Hanna Benjet, third baseman Rore Anderson.
Outlook: Colucci said, “We’re looking to be a contender for the FSL title this year. We have a good core of returning players with a stronger defense and speed.”

Haverford
Head coach: Jill Marshall, fourth year.
Last year’s record: 12-8 overall, 10-6 Central League.
Key returnees: senior center fielder Ali Murphy, senior second baseman Amber Moscoe, senior infielder Anna Mefford.
Others to watch: senior utility player Mel Falotico, senior first baseman/catcher Farrell Everett, sophomore shortstop Tess Smiley, sophomore pitchers Annabelle Donato and Hannah Hermansen, sophomore catcher Haley Greenwald, sophomore outfielder Rachel Yocom.
Outlook: The Fords are off to a good start, posting a 6-3 record as of April 15 (6-1 in the Central League). In the pre-season, Marshall said, “We have a strong senior class and a lot of other returners in the line-up. We feel like we can be competitive in every game and are looking to continue to build off of last year.”

Lower Merion
Head coach: Jim LaPera. seventh year.
Last year’s record: 0-17.
Key returnees: senior pitcher Hannah Charlson, senior right fielder Zoe Kaplan, senior second baseman Emma Rosenau, junior center fielder Alyssa Holmberg, junior third baseman Kylie Pacchione.
Others to watch: freshman outfielder/catcher/pitcher Kelly Dougherty, freshman infielder/outfielder/pitcher Ava Holmberg, freshman catcher/utility Margot Oxman.
Outlook: LaPera said, “One of our biggest strengths is our veteran leadership – 3/4 of the team are seniors or juniors,” said LaPera. “One of our biggest keys to success this season is solid pitching from our senior and freshmen pitchers and more consistent hitting.”

Merion Mercy
Head coach: Al Poplawski, nine year.
Last year’s record: 9-8 overall, 7-5 AACA.
Key returnees: junior pitcher/infielder Kristen Krouse, junior shortstop Cara Keller, sophomore outfielder Grace Andrews, sophomore catcher Mya Mcgann,
Others to watch: sophomore catcher Gabriella Brignola, junior outfielder Audrey Deluca.
Outlook: Poplawski said, “We are a young team – eight freshmen and six sophomores – but we have a lot of talent. If the younger players progress as expected we can have a successful season. Pitching as always will be another key.”

Radnor
HJead coach; John Schaefer, fifth year.
Last year’s record: 9-9 overall.
Key returnees: senior shortstop Audrey Rosenblum (first team All Central League selection for past two years), senior pitcher Tess Massaro, senior outfielder Sophia Royle, junior outfielder/pitcher Roni Hoover, junior first baseman Grace Remphrey.
Others to watch: sophomore pitcher/infielder Lilah Demmy, junior outfielder/utility Emma Dalkin, sophomore infielder Amanda McGrath (returning from injury).
Outlook: The Raiders feature Rosenblum, a four-year starter at shortsop and lead off hitter, plus three solid starting pitchers (two righties and a lefty) in Massaro, Hoover and Demmy. Schaefer said, “Our biggest challenge is getting game experience for a lot of our younger players new to varsity who are filling spots in the infield, catching and outfield.”

Shipley
Head coach: Marin Kobb, third year.
Last year’s record: 4-6.
Key returnees: junior shortstop Lexi Wojtelwicz, senior center fielder Grace Spino.
Others to watch: sophomore pitcher/third baseman Abbie DeSantis, junior catcher Sarah Jane Whittemore, eighth grader third baseman/pitcher Cassandra Farrell.
Outlook: Shipley is off to a good start, with a 4-0 record as of April 15. Kobb said, “We are a young team with only one senior – which is both a strength and a challenge. We have strength in pitching, catching, and the shortstop positions. The key to success will be to stay healthy because we have a very small roster; in DeSantis’ success pitching; and in limiting errors in the field. Also in being aggressive hitting and baserunning.”