Saugus High softball looks to put it all together in 2010

Last season came to a frustrating end for the Saugus High softball team. The Sachems shook off a slump and won six straight games going into a matchup against Salem. However, the Witches prevailed. In the season finale against Danvers, Saugus shortstop Lauren Garchinsky tore her ACL at the beginning of the game and the Falcons dashed the Sachems’ hopes of qualifying for the state tournament. Saugus finished 9-11.”We had a terrific start (to the season),” Sachems coach Bobbie Finocchio said. “We came out strong, then we hit a little slump. It took us a while to get out of it. We won six games, but we didn’t get out of the slump in time. If they learned anything, it’s to stay up the entire season.”Garchinsky is now at Salem State, and the current Sachems are now getting ready for the 2010 regular season.”I think it’s hard to tell, but I think we’re going to be pretty good offensively,” Finocchio said. “Some returning players can really hit the ball around, and some new players can really hit and play hard. It’s exciting to see.”Saugus will have three captains this year, seniors Gina Reppucci and Alison Cooper and junior Jackie Doherty. Finocchio called Reppucci “an outstanding outfielder and power hitter.” Cooper plays second base and Doherty will start in center field.Kayla O’Neil is playing her first year on varsity; “I think she’s going to do a lot for us,” Finocchio said. “She’s pretty solid all around.”Rachel Forgione will look to fill Garchinsky’s shoes at shortstop. The coach said that Forgione was “a really good player last year” who will likely bat third or fourth in the order.Junior Christine Canada will play in the infield, while classmate Nicole Rowe returns to pitch and sophomore Stefani Terrezano, who played two games with the varsity last year, will catch this season.”(Rowe’s) like a machine,” Finocchio said. “She doesn’t get tired. She pitched almost every inning last year.”Nicole Roberto, a junior, will help out the team on the mound, the coach said.Senior Lauren Donati joins Terrezano at catcher. Finocchio has also tried out Donati in the infield.”She’s quite a surprise,” Finocchio said. “She has not played softball for me. She’s just a natural athlete.”Several players, including junior Emily Yanchun and sophomore Alyssa Furtado, have come up from strong seasons on the junior varsity in 2009. The coach also praised sophomores Amanda DiCenzo (“I see a lot of potential ? one of our power hitters”) and Gabby Cogliano. Their classmate Emily McBride will start in the outfield.Freshman Gina Vozzella and junior MacKayla Daly have both been practicing with the team this week, although they are not technically on the varsity.”We have a handful of power hitters and a handful of kids who can bunt well,” Finocchio said, adding that the latter situation was not the case last year.Forty-two players tried out for the team ? and all of them seem to have gotten a spot, with 15 on the varsity, 16 on the JV and 11 on the freshman team.”I didn’t really want to take 15,” Finocchio said. However, she added, “Everyone is good. Everyone has something to offer. I couldn’t cut anyone or knock it down any smaller.”In addition to Garchinsky, Saugus lost first baseman Kelsey Sturgis and outfielders Elizabeth Shaw and Chelsea Cole to graduation.”We’re hoping to see (Garchinsky) play,” Finocchio said. “I’d like to take my team there.”This weekend, the Sachems will travel to Cape Cod for the six-game Mashpee Tournament, a six-game preseason tuneup with Lynn Classical (“That should be fun,” Finocchio said), Grafton, Amherst, Merrimack, Blackstone and Mt. St. Joseph’s of Brighton.”It should be a fun bonding experience for us,” Finocchio said.On April 1, the Sachems will scrimmage their coach’s former team, Newton South. Finocchio was head JV coach and varsity pitching coach for Newton South for four years before joining Saugus. She is in her third year as head coach of the Sachems. The regular season starts April 6 against Pope John.Glen Davis