Classical softball looks to ride momentum

Last season was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Lynn Classical softball team as coach Chris Warren had to replace perhaps the most talented senior class the program has ever had. With a boatload of new starters coming in, many of them being freshman and sophomores, the Rams were expected to take their lumps.Problem was that no one told that to Classical.The Rams wound up putting together the second best regular season since Warren took over the program, finishing 13-7 and coming within a loss to Peabody late in the regular season of winning the Northeastern Conference/North title. Classical would lose to Woburn in the opening round of the Division 1 tournament but the Rams return seven starters this season from a team that counted among its wins a victory over Division 3 state champion St. Mary’s in the Holland Tournament at the end of the season.Click here for a photo gallery.”We are still a very young team with only two seniors and one junior,” Warren said. “But they got a lot of experience last year being thrown in the fire.”Heading the returnees will be seniors Jenny Garrity and Fallon Gaudet. Garrity got the bulk of the work in the circle for the Rams last year while Gaudet will again man second base for Classical.One thing that Classical will not lack is pitching as Garrity is joined by two other top notch hurlers. Both Katie Cuozzo and Mackenzie Coppinger got starts during the regular season last year and they will again likely see time during this season. Cuozzo will be at first base when not pitching and Coppinger will return to patrol centerfield once again.”We are very lucky to have three good pitchers,” Warren said. “They all got experience last year and it gives us confidence to know that when one is struggling, another is right there ready to do the job.”The rest of the Classical infield will also return for another season, led by junior shortstop Hannah Byrne. A two-year starter, Byrne will be joined on the left side of the infield by sophomore Jennie Erekson. Chelsey Bartlett returns to handle the catching duties.Classical had 36 kids come out for the first day of tryouts and it will mark the first time under Warren that the Rams will field only a varsity and JV team. But that’s something Warren thinks will actually help his club.”It is going to give us a very competitive JV team which is nice,” Warren said. “And with the freshmen, it was quality versus quantity. They are very good.”Other players Warren will look for to have good seasons are junior Thalianna Quevas as well as underclassmen Danielle Moran, Olivia DeJoie and Angela Erelli.The Rams will have a busy preseason, playing 16 scrimmages that will be capped by a meeting with two-time defending Division 1 state champion Lexington, coached by Frank Pagliuca. Classical will also be returning to a very tough NEC North slate as well.”The league is going to be as tough as it always is,” Warren said.