Four Hornets named CAL softball All-Stars

 

 

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

NORTH READING — The Cape Ann League softball coaches had their end-of-season meeting recently to pick their All-Star teams and four members of the North Reading High team made the two rosters.

Three Hornets made the First-Team while one made the Second-Team.

The three CAL First-Team All-Stars are the Reilly twins, Olivia and Caitlin, and Kristen Galvin. Jillian Corbett made the Second-Team All-Stars as it was the sophomore’s first post-season appearance.

Olivia, a senior captain and catcher who made the CAL Second-Team All-Stars the previous two years, had a fielding percentage of .975. She hit .456 with an on-base percentage of .513. Her slugging percentage was .765 as she had five home runs and 25 runs batted in. She scored 31 times.

 

“She had a phenomenal season,” stated Hornets head coach Nicole Zimmerman.”She was huge behind the plate and called all of the pitches herself. She was also strong offensively as she was an all-around help for us.”

Her sister Caitlin made her first All-Star team this spring. The centerfielder hit .484 with an on-base percentage of .532. The senior captain had two homers, 14 RBI, 11 walks and 31 runs scored.

“In center field she takes charge,” said Zimmerman, about her defense. “At bat, she was our lead-off hitter and that is why she doesn’t have the stats like some of the other players but she set the tone for us leading off because she reached base so often.”

 

Galvin a senior captain and third-baseman, had a fielding percentage of .952.

“She was our leader in the infield,” said Zimmerman.

She hit .426 with an on-base percentage of .539 and a team-high six homers. Galvin knocked in 25 runs scored 28 times and walked 11 times. She was also hit-by-pitch a team-high 10 times.

“She came up big in our biggest games,” said Zimmerman. “She was our best power hitter along with Olivia.”

Corbett hit .400 with an on-base percentage of .583. She had 11 RBI, 15 runs scored and walked three times.

“We needed to fill left field and we moved her from catcher to out there,” recalled Zimmerman. “She had a strong arm and was very consistent for us. She also hit well.”

 

North Reading reached the MIAA Division 3 state tournament Quarterfinals before falling to Apponequet, 11-4, back on June 8.

Overall, Hornets ended the year at 17-6. In the CAL, North Reading went 11-4 as they ended up in second place in the Cape Ann League Kinney Division behind Triton.

The Hornets had their end-of-season awards banquet on June 18. Zimmerman gave out three awards: The team MVP went to Olivia Reilly. Caitlin Reilly received the Coaches Award. Galvin took home the Unsung Heroine Award.

“The girls met my expectations this season,” said Zimmerman, who just finished her third year at the helm. “This was the furthest we have made it in the states in several years.”

North Reading will lose six seniors to graduation, Along with the Reilly twins and Galvin, they also will lose Keely Hannon (pitcher) Maggie Schulz (first-baseman) and Jocelyn Ostrowsky (second base- designated hitter).

“They really did a great job of taking the underclassman under their wing,” said Zimmerman, as all six seniors were captains. “I coached a lot of them when they were freshmen on the junior varsity team and I will miss them a lot. They were great mentors.

Next season, the team is expecting 10 veterans back.

“I think that a lot of teams are going to underrate us next year,” said Zimmerman. “We have a lot of depth and I think that we are going to surprise a lot of teams.”