By Christopher Tremblay, Staff Sports Writer

After putting together a successful regular season going 13-7 the Oxford softball team was awarded a 24 seed in the Division 5 State Tournament. The Pirates defeated Salem Academy Charter 17-1 and Westfield Tech 2-0 before eventually getting sent home by Drury 4-2. 

This spring coach Jamie Hetherman is looking for his team to take things to the next level and make it a little easier once the team gets into the State Tournament. In losing to Drury, a school in North Adams, the Oxford team found themselves sitting in a bus for two hours traveling 110 miles to finally make their playoff game. If the team had managed to defeat Drury, they would have then had to travel another 87.5 miles and an hour and a half on the bus to square off against Greenfield. 

 “This year, we obviously want to make it make into the tournament while being competitive against the teams in our league, but I am looking for the girls to put together a better record, so that we can secure a higher seed and not have to travel as far as we did last year,” the Pirates coach said. “The girls understand what the tournament is like now, they have the experience and know how to prepare for it. If we can get a better seeding, we won’t have to travel that far again.”

Sitting on a bus for numerous hours traveling to their next game, while the opponent is relaxing at home waiting for you to arrive is not what Oxford is looking to do this spring in the post-season. With that said, the Pirates are going to take to the field each and every day working as hard as they can so that they don’t have to be put into the situation they were in last year during the tournament.

As the Pirates gear up for the 2024 season Hetherman has returning all but one player, his number one pitcher, from last year’s squad. Oxford will field three senior starters, five sophomores (all who have started since the eighth grade and have been playing together since they were very young on town and travel teams) and one freshman starter this spring.

Captains Kyra Krasinskas and Hailey Angel will look to guide the Pirates to a successful season on the diamond. Hetherman expects Krasinskas to be his number one hurler and while it looks as though the sophomore may see the majority of time in the circle, things will all depend on the opposition. The Pirate coach may go with three girls taking turns pitching.

Angel is a very polished player that has it all according to the coach. The sophomore will see the majority of her time at second base but may shift over to shortstop on occasion.  In addition to being able to run, catch and throw, for a sophomore she has a vast knowledge of the game and is very strong offensively as well as on the defensive side of the ball. 

In addition to Krasinskas coming at the opposition when they step into the batters box, Hetherman will also see what two other young hurlers can give the team this year. Sophomore Sarah Arndt and freshman Emily Dupuis will get the opportunity to take to the circle for the Pirates.

“Sarah seems to have more in her arsenal than the other two girls. She saw a little bit of action for us last year, but she pitches for her travel team,” Hetherman said. “Emily pitched on the junior varsity team last year and although I have not seen much of her this year she is a good athlete and I expect big things from her so she should see some innings in addition to her playing third.”

At the plate Oxford is a very fast team and is looking to make things happen once they get on base. A trio of seniors - left fielder Skylar Vincent, right fielder Kaylee Karnes and infielder Anais Ortiz - will hold that responsibility. According to the skipper, Vincent and Karnes have come a long way from the beginning and have turned themselves into bona-fide softball players, who when the season comes to an end, it will be hard to see them leave. Ortiz, a four-year player, will find her action coming at first or second base, with the former being her mainstay. Last season she came on strong down the stretch with her bat providing the team with some big hits.

Another freshman, Ariella Donahue, will be another key piece to the Pirates season if they want to lower their rankings. Donahue will see action at shortstop and as a catcher behind the plate.

 “She is an all-around good athlete and as a seventh grader during Covid she played very well,” the Coach said. “She plays really well in the field too and I expect big things from her. She will also be our number three hitter in the lineup.”