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| Eighth grader Ashley Cloutier bunts during an All-Star 10-12 softball tournament game in June. As the Maine state champion, Windham will play Maryland in the first round of the East Regional Tournament in Connecticut on Saturday. The game will be televised on ESPN + television. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA |
In 2020, when there were not a lot of summer sports going on, many of the players from the 10-12-year-old Windham Little League All-Star softball team, and several coaches held a sandlot league where these players were able to work on their skills. This play during a time where other towns may have been idle, helped propel the younger girls’ transition to what would become the 2021 All-Star Maine state championship team.
The 10-12-year-old Windham Little League All-Star softball team’s recent 9-1 state win over Ellsworth on July 13 in South Berwick, earned the team the state title and secured a berth in the East Regional tournament. Windham will take the experience and skills that they’ve acquired and use it as fuel heading to Bristol, Connecticut to play Maryland in a first-round East Regional tournament game this weekend.
The 10-12-year-old All-Star team scrimmaged at The Edge Academy on Tuesday, July 20 in Portland against several previous Windham Little League All-Star players who won state tournaments in 2018 and 2019. Coaches say this will help the current team prepare against tough competition in the East Regional tournament.
“I think it helped us (experience) faster pitching and how the ball is going to be in play more,” said seventh-grader Sarah Smyth. “I think it prepared us to be more alert (for when we play in Connecticut).”
Eighth-grader Ashley Cloutier said this scrimmage against the older players was a bit of a reality check that the teams Windham will face in Connecticut won’t be easy teams, but probably some really good ones.
Coach Nick Caiazzo has scouted Windham’s first opponent, Maryland and says he is familiar with the state tournament games that Maryland played. Caiazzo said he knows what kinds of hitters Maryland has, where they like to put the ball, how their best players play on the field and how Windham can use that information to get an advantage over Maryland.
Coach Caiazzo also prepared for the tournament by talking with past Windham Little League softball coaches Shayne Bryant, Kregg Jarvais and Jason McLeod. They provided information and advice on what to expect when Windham heads to play in Connecticut.
Bryant, Jarvais and McLeod told Coach Caiazzo to relax and want him to know that Windham’s opponents will also be 10-12-year-old girls and while there’s a lot happening during this tournament, the game is not played differently.
Many lessons have been learned during the course of this year’s All-Star tournament and Smyth said she has to stay as focused as possible and minimize distractions.
“We’re really excited,” she said.
Cloutier said that communication is key in the game of softball and seventh-grader Evelyn Anderson said she feels Windham’s overall confidence during games will make a difference.
Coach Caiazzo said that he encourages his players to learn from their mistakes, but not to dwell on them. He describes baseball and softball as games where failure will happen, and the players need to be able to take the good with the bad. It’s a game that is supposed to be fun, he said, and in perspective, it’s never as bad as it seems.
“I’m expecting that there is going to be a lot of good teams and that we need to be prepared for some really good pitching,” said Cloutier.
She said she’s excited for the new competition, but also a little nervous as she doesn’t know what to expect.
Assistant Coach Ronnie Higgins said this is a good group of kids who kept their focus pretty well throughout the whole (tournament). He thinks they’re very good and they’re going to be ready to go when the time comes.
“Our girls have had to grind out some of their victories along the way. No matter who they will face in the Regional, our players will give us all they have, and they won't quit,” said Assistant Coach Stephen Napolitano.
Coach Caiazzo said the team has done the work during practices and are prepared. They must feel confident in the work they have done up to this point and he said if the kids can stay focused, they will do well.
“I know our team is really good when we do our best, said Anderson. “I know the teams are really good (at Regionals). If we play our best, I think we have a really good chance.”
If you’d like to follow the team’s progress, the first game will air at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 24 on ESPN+ television. <
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