For the past few seasons, the Hopedale Softball team has put together some very eerie numbers. The Blue Raiders have finished the regular season earning a number three seed in the Division 5 Softball Tournament where they went as far as the Final 4 before losing each time to the number two seed. Two years ago, Greenfield took out Hopedale and last spring it was Turner Falls. 

This year, the Blue Raiders finished with a 10-10 regular season record and once again earned themselves a number three seed in the post-season. Coach Jim Casey was expecting his players to take to the field once again as a competitive team and at the very least get back into the Final 4.

In order to accomplish that feat for the third straight year Hopedale put together a very competitive schedule so they would be ready come the playoffs. 

“In the past our regular season schedule hadn’t been as competitive and we wanted to step it up this year,” Casey said. “Because of our past performances when the MIAA restructured the leagues we were put into the CMAC – A, where we are the only Division 5 team.”

In addition to the new league where Hopedale had to face some talented teams, they also scheduled some really challenging non-league games to give them a better chance for a deep run in the tournament.

One of the Blue Raiders’ biggest assets is freshman pitcher Emily Atwood.

“It all starts with her; she is our ace in the circle as well as one of our top three hitters,” the coach said. “She pitched in all but four games for us this year. She is a pitcher of positivity and wants to be given the ball in all the big games.”

Last spring, Atwood notched 205 strikeouts and, despite having to go up against stronger hitters, the freshman hurler was still able to punch out another 103 batters while holding a 1.51 ERA.

Layla Huntley is the team’s top hitter and leads Hopedale in just about every offensive category. At press time, she had hit .443 with a .506 ops, where she had clubbed 3 home runs, had 28 RBI and added 28 runs scored. The junior first baseman has started three years for Hopedale and over that time has accumulated a total of 9 homeruns and is approaching 100 hits.

Following Huntley on the hit chart is senior captain and catcher Delaney Vaillette, who is hitting .380 with a .433 ops and 1 homerun, 14 RBI and 19 runs scored. Atwood sits in third at .345 and an ops of .435.

With the bats swinging away, the Hopedale defense has also managed to become much improved over last sprig due primarily to two sophomores in second baseman Bella Federico and third baseman Lucy Mandeville. Right fielder Hannah Gallerani and shortstop Mia Casey have also been part of the defensive equation.

Prior to the season getting underway, Casey knew that Hopedale had a challenging schedule in front of them. There was some concern mid-season when the Blue Raiders were hit with some injures that set the team back, but now as they get ready to enter the tournament the team is fully healthy.

At they get ready to embark in yet another wild journey through the tournament Casey knows that having secured the three seed, Hopedale is guaranteed three home games and if they are able to capture all three victories once again they will have put themselves back into the Final 4 for the third straight year.

“We want to make a deep playoff run, that’s why we put together the tougher schedule,” the Coach said. “A lot of the girls have been here the last two years so they have the playoff experience to push further ahead.”

Editor’s note: The team played in the Division 5 championship after the newspaper went to print.