Raymond softball ends season with all-around effort

By Matt Pascarella

On an overcast afternoon that ended with the game being called part-way through the fifth inning because of a downpour, Raymond’s softball team played their final game of the season at Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond on Thursday, June 8 against Old Orchard Beach. Although the final score of 17-10 favored Old Orchard Beach, Raymond’s efforts had been steadily improving in a short amount of time.

Raymond sixth grader Anita Sargent makes a throw to
first base during a middle school softball game against
Old Orchard Beach at Jordan-Small Middle School on
Thursday, June 8. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

“The amount of confidence that all of them came forward with today was major,” said Raymond softball coach Miranda Eisenhart. “Their spirit is what’s so memorable about this team. Half of our team had never played before; their resilience and they just had fun.”

With only five games total this season, Raymond’s softball team exhibited their increased confidence during this final game of the season. Everyone on the team was supportive, positive, and excited to play.

Eisenhart said they had players playing new positions during this game, they knew where to throw the ball and were aggressive at the plate – even turning up the intensity when it came to base stealing.

In the first inning, seventh grader Brooke Tuttle walked. She quickly stole her way to third base and scored on a passed ball. Sixth grader Julianna Vassoler also walked and did exactly the same thing; as did sixth grader Anita Sargent. Seventh grader Kylie Gervais walked and after waiting for the right moment, stole and slid into home on a passed ball. Seventh grader Cassidy Sawyer walked and scored on a passed ball, too. The game was tied 5-5.

In the third inning, Raymond defense was on it when shortstop Sargent made an excellent catch to get an out.

Raymond’s offense tied the game again after three innings. Gervais got a base hit, then scored on a passed ball. Sixth grader Silvia Roma walked, stole her way around the infield and scored on a passed ball. Sawyer also walked and later scored on a passed ball. Seventh grader Ava-Noel Chevarie walked, seventh grader Alexus Williams was hit by the pitch, eighth grader Karla Rodriguez walked, and the bases are loaded. Chevarie and Williams each scored. Now the game is tied 10-10.

“I think [the game] went very well,” said Rodriguez. “We’ve gotten better with batting, passing and backing up.”

Gervais’ quick glove caught a line drive in the top of the fourth inning. She also made a throw to first baseman Roma to get an out at the top of the fifth inning.

According to Gervais, things were a little rough and rocky in the circle, but overall went well. Gervais said the comeback Raymond had made before the end of the game was impressive.

Roma said working together helped the team develop from earlier in the season to today. Starting out, a lot of the girls on the Raymond team didn’t know one another and didn’t work together as a team early on. Roma has seen several girls who never played before and became good players this season. <

Raymond softball overachieves in first game against Old Orchard Beach

Raymond eighth-grader Caitlyn Bergsen
bats during Jordan-Small Middle School
softball's opening game of the season
against Old Orchard Beach.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

By Matt Pascarella

Raymond’s Jordan-Small Middle School played their first home game of the season against Old Orchard Beach on Tuesday, May 10 and did a spectacular job.

Raymond has been practicing since before April vacation and the team had a very nice first showing; Raymond battled up until the last out. Old Orchard Beach won 17-10.

Eighth-grader Audrey Getchell hit two in-the-park home runs with everyone on the team doing a great job on the field, offensively and defensively.

“I did alright throwing and catching, and I was hitting pretty good,” said eighth-grader Katie Plummer.

Plummer said that they’ve come a long way since that first practice.

In the first inning, OOB scored five runs.

Raymond answered when eighth-grader Briella Beers walked. Sixth-grader Kylie Gervais doubled, and Beers scored. Gervais then stole home.

In the second inning, Raymond defense nabbed a runner at home. OOB scored five runs.

Raymond brought force in the second inning after eighth-grader Caitlyn Bergsen walked. Plummer was hit by the pitch, then seventh-grader Karla Rodriguez singled and bases are loaded. Bergsen scored.

Beers walked; Plummer scored. Gervais walked and Rodriguez scored. Getchell walked and a run came in. Beers scored. After two innings OOB led 10-7.

In the fifth inning, Getchell ripped the ball deep into the outfield, rounded the bases and made it home.

In the sixth inning, Raymond sixth-grader Phinlee Afthim singled. So did eighth-grader Sarah Penna; Afthim scored.

Getchell hit another in-the-park home run in the seventh inning. Bergsen doubled.

Bergensen said overall she thought the team did very well. There were a couple things she thought they could improve on, but she was pleased with how they played.

“Our teamwork went really well, knowing that we were actually a team,” said Getchell.

Getchell has seen improvement with defense and offense. It felt really nice for her to hit two in-the-park-homeruns.

“We overachieved today,” said Raymond softball coach Jim Beers. “We haven’t had a lot of practices ... our first week of games got rained out. We’re mixing in a lot of inexperienced with some experience on our team.”

Beers said he couldn’t be happier with the outcome and is pleased they can build on that. There are little things to iron out now, little intricacies of the game; if they get those ironed out, they should be fine. <