Babe Ruth softball gearing up for tournaments

The Babe Ruth softball all-star tournament season begins this weekend with the 16U team vying for a state title on its home turf.The 14U team, which won the state title last year and made it to the New England Regional final last year, will head to Woburn for a tune-up before returning home the following weekend (July 17-19) for its own state tournament.The 16U states will feature three teams, Lynn, Lawrence and Revere. Lynn will play Lawrence Saturday morning at 10 a.m. and the winner of that game will play Revere at 12:30 p.m. The losers’ bracket game will be at 3 p.m. Saturday with the state championship game slated for 10 a.m. on Sunday. If there is an “if necessary” game, it will be played at 12:30 p.m.The 16s are managed by Larry Coppinger with Judy Bower and Cindy Donovan serving as assistant coaches. Mackenzie Coppinger, who saw some time on the mound as a freshman on the Classical High varsity team, will shoulder the bulk of the pitching load with Keri Donovan (St. Mary’s) available if needed. Donovan will also see time at third base or first base.The Lynn team looks solid behind the plate with Katie Collins (St. Mary’s) and Chelsey Bartlett (Classical) sharing duties. Hannah Byrne (Classical) will be at shortstop, and Fallon Gaudet (Classical) will be at second with English’s Shawna Drown also available at second or in the outfield. Gabby Trahant (Bishop Fenwick) and Kim Caron (English) are both vying for time at first.The outfield contingent, in addition to Drown, includes English’s Taylor Newhall; Natalie Glover, Taylor Hamelers and Caroline Guthro, all from St. Mary’s, and Kathryn Halloran and Samantha McGuire, both from Austin Prep.Breed’s Grace Rogato Field will be getting a workout this summer, because in addition to hosting the 16U and 14U state tournaments, it’s also the home of the 16U regionals, which will be held July 24-26, the same time that Lynn plays host to the Babe Ruth 15-year-old state tournament.The 14U softball all-stars will try to repeat last year’s success with several returning players on the roster. The team is managed by Wayne Kerrins with Bob Cuozzo and Ray L’Abbe as coaches.”We should be very competitive, as we were last year,” Kerrins said. “We’ll get between the lines and whatever happens, happens.”Lynn has two returning pitchers from last year – Katie Cuozzo, who saw quite a bit of time on the mound for the Classical varsity as a freshman this spring, and Brooke L’Abbe, who was at St. Pius. Danielle Moran and Taylor Cash, both new to the team this year, could also see some innings.The infield will have a couple of veterans in Samantha Earp and Kimmie Shinnick. Shinnick has been spending time at shortstop, as has Paula Otero, who can also catch. Earp can play third or catch and Moran and Marianne Halas are both candidates for second base. Cuozzo, L’Abbe, Olivia DeJoie and Cash are all available for time at first base.Angela Erelli, a returning player from last year’s state championship team, gives Lynn plenty of speed in centerfield and on the bases. She’ll be joined in the outfield by Jerrica Della Santos, Chelsey Martin, Kaitlin Calef, Tatiana Doucette and Meaghan Walker.The 14s will head to Woburn this weekend for a tune-up tournament. They played in a tournament in North Reading two weekends ago.The 14U state tournament will feature seven teams, with the regionals being held in Pittsfield.