Marlborough softball team has season to remember

Marlborough - After two years of gradual improvement, Marlborough High burst onto the Central Mass. softball scene in a big way this season, advancing all the way to the Division 1 final, where it lost to perennial power Gardner, 5-1, at Worcester State College June 7.

Those who think that the Panthers' rapid rise was a fluke might be best served revising that notion.

"I definitely think we were a team of destiny and it was a situation where we had a team with perfect chemistry," Marlborough coach Kyle Wescott said, "but out of our top nine hitters, eight are returning. That's not something that can be dismissed or ignored."

While the Panthers were a formidable bunch at the plate, it can be argued they won just as many games from the pitching rubber, where senior tri-captain Meagan Montesion put the finishing touches on a fine high school career, going 20-4 this year, while allowing about an earned run a game.

As dominating as Montesion was at keeping the opposition's bats quiet, the Marlborough bats were just that loud.

"The real key was our Nos. 3 and 4 hitters," Wescott said. "Our No. 3 hitter is our junior shortstop, Jessie Bryant. She's the star of the team. Every team needs a star and she's ours. She's been starting at short since she was in eighth grade. But as good as your best hitter is, you need someone batting behind them that is a good hitter, too, so you just don't pitch around the star all the time. Aryel Paolini, our junior third baseman, has done that for us. She's been unbelievable."

Wescott said Paolini, also a tri-captain, batted .480 in the No. 4 spot, while Bryant hit .530 just ahead of her.

Kelsie Bryant, Marlborough's sophomore center-fielder and Jessie's younger sister, is the Panthers' leadoff batter. Senior first baseman Kelsey Rudzinsky, the other tri-captain, is the No. 2 hitter.

"Kelsey has really pushed us along with both her hitting and fielding," Wescott said. "She's had a great season."

Wescott revealed a rarity at the top of his lineup. Kelsie Bryant, Kelsey Rudzinsky and Jessie Bryant give the Panthers a batting order that is sistersister sister.

Jeff Rudzinsky, Wescott's assistant, is Kelsey Rudzinsky's father and the Bryants' stepfather.

"I'm willing to bet it's the only lineup that has three sisters batting back-to-back-to-back," Wescott said. "I don't even know if there are any teams with three sisters, but if there are, I doubt they're all bunched together in the batting order like these three are."

Following Paolini in the No. 5 spot in the batting order is sophomore Maggie Doolin, who, as designated hitter, bats for Montesion. Behind her is junior catcher Shauna Flynn, who is followed by sophomore second baseman Sarah Clark.

Senior Beth Gabrielli and sophomore Jackie Vissat have platooned in left field for Wescott and batted eighth, while sophomore Danielle Winske is the regular right fielder and usually bats ninth.

Sophomore Lisa Farese is Wescott's pinch runner extraordinaire.

"She's our Dave Roberts," Wescott said, referring to the pinch runner who helped the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series.