PEABODY — From little league, to watching Disney Channel movies, and to smashing varsity home runs, the Bettencourt sisters of Peabody have spent lots of time together.
This past Thursday, in a 10-2 Peabody softball win against Bishop Fenwick, another accomplishment was checked off the Bettencourt list: all three sisters hit a home run in the same game.
Isabel (Bo), Abby, and Lizzy Bettencourt hold sports accomplishments to their name that many would, frankly, do anything for. That said, this one was special.
Abby led off and wasted no time, blasting a shot to left center field.
“I was going up to bat [and] wanting to make a difference in the game,” Abby said. “I wanted to get on base or hit one out, and it ended up working.”
A few minutes later, it was cleanup hitter Isabel’s turn to hit one out of the park as her solo blast to center made it, yes, two siblings homering in the game.
“It was good that Abby hit a home run because, when she got back, she let me know what the pitcher was throwing and what I should be looking for,” Isabel said. “We talk a lot about what the pitcher is doing and where to line up in the box, so when I got up to the plate, I knew what to expect and ended up hitting a home run.”
After Isabel and Abby hit their home runs, they turned to younger sister Lizzy and joked about her hitting one.
“After Bo and I hit ours, we turned to Lizzy and were like, ‘Hey, it’s your turn now. You have to keep it going,’” Abby said. “We had a few games now where either Bo and I hit one, or Lizzy and Bo hit one, so we were hopeful this would be the one we all hit one.”
Surely enough, in the sixth inning, Lizzy made it happen.
“I wanted to hit one as well,” Lizzy said. “I had a feeling I was going to – just because they both hit one earlier.”
And Abby couldn’t have been more proud of her younger sister.
“This is definitely something we will reminisce about in the future,” Abby said.
Beyond Thursday’s theatrics, all three sisters have been enjoying this season – that’s because it’s (potentially) the last time they’ll share a field as Isabel nears her graduation.
“We’re just trying to cherish the little things,” Isabel said. “We’re taking every game seriously because it could be the last one we play together… We’re just trying to take in the little things.”
The trio spends a lot of time together, calling each other their best friends.
“I consider them my therapists. If I’m having a bad day after practice and need to rant, they’re there for me. If I have a great game and Bo struggles, I don’t come home and rub it in her face. We’re all there for each other,” Abby said. “All the things you can’t say during a game or practice – it’s nice to come home and have them as an outlet.”
“Our relationship is pretty good. We have our disagreements, but we never have an all-out argument. We usually take each other’s criticism fairly well,” Isabel said. “We want each other to be successful. That’s why, in the game, we tell each other the pitching location, what to expect, and any helpful insights we can give.”
Though they all want to succeed individually, all three of them talked about helping each other – whether that’s during a game, or at home.
“With them both being older than me, I feel like they are always telling me what to do and trying to help me get better,” Lizzy said. “They’re always guiding me and always helping me when they can.”
When asked what they want to check off the list moving forward – without hesitation – they all said it’s to “win a state championship.”
“Abby and I, and then Abby and Lizzy, all through little league have won state championships, so high school is the last one for us to accomplish together,” Isabel said.
How does a trio hit homers in the same game, you might ask? Well, Disney Channel.
“When school gets out and it’s tournament season, we always watch Disney Channel Original Movies. We’ll watch High School Musical, Starstruck, Hannah Montana, and movies like that pregame,” Isabel said. “It helps us all relax [and] it’s something we did when we were little. It takes us back to simpler times when things weren’t as stressful.”
Isabel (5 home runs), Abby (6), and Lizzy (6) have combined for 17 home runs, and have their sights set on a state championship. If their power hitting continues, the Tanners will certainly have a shot.
