The Hampshire Regional softball team lost just two seniors from last year’s squad that won the program’s fourth consecutive Western Mass. title, but the Raiders have quite a bit of production to make up.

Jocelyn Mettey, the 2023 Daily Hampshire Gazette Player of the Year, graduated after recording eight no-hitters, 130 hits and 560 strikeouts for the Raiders across five seasons. 

Hampshire head coach Brian McGan has turned to a familiar face to fill her place.

Freshman Ryanne Dubay, who slotted in at second base last year, is Hampshire’s top pitcher this season. With her twin sister Raegan at catcher and her eighth-grade sister Kalin at second base, the Dubay’s make up a third of Hampshire’s lineup.

“(Ryanne) is starting to pick up the pace a little bit,” McGan said. “She’s young, so (we’re) just trying to get her feet wet.”

Dubay twirled 5 ⅓ strong innings before she was replaced in Hampshire’s opener against Frontier on April 1. The Raiders won 17-7. On Sunday, Hampshire won its second game of the season against Agawam, 17-3.

In Hampshire’s run to the MIAA Division 4 state championship game last season, Kalin served almost exclusively as Mettey’s courtesy runner, but Ryanne and Raegan played major roles as eighth graders.

“Those two kids, they really stepped up last year,” McGan said. “To be in eighth grade and play in a state title game, they were cool as cucumbers.”

This year’s team has a good mix of veterans, underclassmen with experience and middle schoolers just starting out, McGan said.

Senior third baseman Hailey Wodecki knocked her 100th career hit in the opener against Frontier, joining her sister Hannah in Hampshire’s 100 hit club.

Fellow senior Ashley Cortis mashed a home run against Frontier and will patrol the outfield again for the Raiders this season.

Hampshire

Coaches: Brian McGan

League/Division: Valley League/4

Roster: SENIORS: Ashley Cortis, Hailey Wodecki. SOPHOMORES: Tegan Charles, Chelsea Vanasse, CC Thayer, Lacey Mancuso, Jayden Hamel. FRESHMEN: Ryanne Dubay, Raegan Dubay, Rachael Hickox, Allison St. Pierre. EIGHTH GRADE: Kalin Dubay.

South Hadley

Coach: Junior Perez

League/Division: Valley Wheel/4

Roster: SENIORS: Erin Bullough, Ara Powers, Jenna Bobrowski. JUNIORS: Ella Schaeffer, Sophia Butler, Karli Carmody, Sevilla Kinney, Alannah Mackay, Veronica Wall, Alivia Houle. SOPHOMORE: Elise Gingras. FRESHMEN: Grace Matyszewski, Ryleh McMahon, Natalia Quinn.

The Tigers recorded a 14-0 mark in the Suburban West last year and secured a promotion up to the Valley Wheel, where they’ll face West Springfield, Easthampton, East Longmeadow, Longmeadow and Monson.

Second-year head coach Junior Perez said moving up in leagues was one of his first priorities when he took the job.

“We’re not going to win as many games as last year,” Perez said. “But we’re going to be better.”

Junior pitcher Ella Schaeffer returns, and she’s just four punchouts away from 500 career strikeouts. In South Hadley’s season-opening 1-0 win over Easthampton on April 1, Schaeffer struck out 14, including a stretch of 10 straight.

Senior catcher Ara Powers is, not ironically, a big power bat for the Tigers and will lead the middle of the lineup. Middle infield duo Erin Bullough and Jenna Bobrowski were major factors last season for the Tigers and now enter their senior years together. And junior center fielder Karly Carmody has been evolving into an effective slap hitter. She was 24-of-24 on stolen bases last season.

Easthampton

Coach: Corey Robinson

League/Division: Valley Wheel/4

Roster: SENIORS: Kayley Downie, Sophia Faginski, Megan Fickett, Rosie Follet, Anastasia Growhoski, McKenzie McCarthy, Makenna Slate. JUNIORS: Shelby Clark, Aziza Menendez, Christine Raymond. SOPHOMORE: Samone Young. FRESHMEN: Summer Routhier, Madison Urban.

Easthampton returns seven seniors from a squad that won 16 games last season. Since the canceled 2020 season, the Eagles are 44-15. They’re 1-1 so far this year, with a 1-0 loss to South Hadley and a 3-0 win over East Longmeadow.

Easthampton lost the left side of its infield to graduation, but it returns pitcher Rosie Follet for her third and final season as the Eagles’ top pitcher. 

The Eagles also return catcher McKenzie McCarthy, who missed the last two seasons because of shoulder injuries. Center fielder Ana Growhowski is nearing 100 career steals and 100 career hits and is Easthampton’s catalyst, head coach Corey Robinson said.

“We’re looking to reclaim our league title back, we let that slip away last year toward the end of the year,” Robinson said. “And try to make a deep run in states.”

Amherst

Coach: Bill Rahall

League/Division: Bi-County/2

Roster: SENIORS: Stephanie Barton, Sophia Holden. JUNIORS: Eve Jacoby, Bella Kochan. SOPHOMORES: Nina Holden, Riana Shaw, Luna Weiss. FRESHMEN: Corrine Charlebois, Sky Lanausse. EIGHTH GRADE: Rosalee Davis, Mia Shaw. SEVENTH GRADE: Maggie Collins. 

Amherst has followed up a 15-3 finish in 2023 with a 2-1 start so far in 2024. Senior pitcher Sophia Holden, an Emerson College commit, struck out 216 batters last year while hitting .481. She notched 28 strikeouts across her first two starts of the season. Eighth grader Mia Shaw will back her up after leading the ‘Canes JV squad to a 10-0 record last season.

Fellow senior and first baseman Stephanie Barton hit .410 last year and should anchor the middle of the lineup. Sophomores Riana Shaw (catcher) and Nina Holden (second base) also figure to play starring roles. Holden will be an “anchor for the middle infield for years to come,” said assistant coach Kevin Shaw.

Hopkins Academy

Coach: Lindsey Lord

League/Division: Franklin East/5

Roster: SENIOR: Cassidi Mushenski. JUNIOR: Margaret Potter. SOPHOMORES: Alayna Bailey, Lily Ellia, Madelei Gallo. FRESHMEN: Cassandra Dion. EIGHTH GRADE: Isabella Bramucci, Anna Conklin, Olivia Earle, Cailie Edwards, Juliana Eichenlaub, Kiely Kinchla.

Lindsey Lord moves up from JV to varsity and takes over from Paula Cristoforo at the helm of the Golden Hawks, who are fresh off an appearance in the Division 5 state semifinals.

Hopkins Academy only returns two upperclassmen, Cassidi Mushenski and Margaret Potter, who serve as the team’s captains.

Frontier

Coach: Gary Deane

League/Division: Franklin West/4

Roster: SENIORS: Gabrielle Adams, Hailey Hutkoski. JUNIORS: Delaney Fifield, Olivia Machon, Sophia Pinardi, Rozalyn Schempp, Ashley Taylor. SOPHOMORE: Whitney Campbell. FRESHMEN: Skyler Steele, Adelaide Ehle, Abigail Schreiber, Adelyn Wood. SEVENTH GRADE: Raine Wonsey.

Frontier is up to Division 4 this year, and head coach Gary Deane said the Franklin West should be the best Division 3/4/5 league in the state.

Frontier’s two seniors, Gabrielle Adams and Hailey Hutkoski, will serve as its captains.

Freshman Skyler Steele is one of the best shortstops in Western Mass., Deane said, and she’s already accrued 20 career home runs. Juniors Olivia Machon and Sophia Pinardi bring power and average to the lineup.

In the circle, junior Ashley Taylor and seventh-grader Raine Wonsey will trade off pitching duties.

The Redhawks are young again this year, but a number of its players started in varsity when they were in middle school. Deane hopes that experience will pay off.

“We’ve been talking about being young and inexperienced for a couple years,” Deane said. “And now this is a year where we are no longer as young and no longer as inexperienced. Everybody on the team has state tournament experience except for Raine.”

Granby

Coach: Mike Afflitto

League/Division: Suburban West/5

Roster: SENIORS: Grace Roy, Sophia Gagnon. JUNIORS: Mabel Carillon, Cassie Flaherty, Katie Grabherr, Quinn Cook, Alexis Lapite, Jordyn Placzek. SOPHOMORES: Kaitlyn Curran, Scarlett LaRose. FRESHMEN: Ellie Szlosek, Sydney Chateauneuf, Jaidyn Roberge, Meredith Bartosz, Kiki Gaj.

Head coach Mike Afflitto comes over from Smith Academy to lead Granby after the Rams finished 9-11 last year.

Kaitlyn Curran hits leadoff for the Rams and Cassie Flaherty provides thump in the middle of the lineup. Afflitto also singled out Mabel Carillon, Grace Roy and Quinn Cook as upperclassmen who are expected to play major roles again.

Holyoke

Coach: Yaixsa Vargas

League/Division: Suburban West/2

Roster: SENIORS: Sabrina Grondin, Jayshaless Santos, Giselle Piedra. JUNIORS: Tryanna Ayala, Kylie Blaha, Marialis Camacho, Janiya Lagoy, Alexis LeTellier, Jade Maldonado. SOPHOMORES: Grace Bechard, Jessayra Maldonado, Samatha Rodriguez, Kiara Perez. FRESHMAN: Alanna Bonilla.

Vargas led the Purple Knights to an 11-8 record and the school’s first-ever state tournament appearance in her second season at the helm in 2023. She noted Kylie and Alanna Bonilla, Janiya Lagoy, Alexis Letellier and Jayshalee Santos as Holyoke’s top players to watch. The Purple Knights begin their 2024 slate of games against Agawam on Wednesday.

Belchertown

Coach: Mike Lafayette

League/Division: Tri-County/3

Roster: SENIORS: Laura Cote, Olivia Lafayette, Michaela Dubey, Isabella Cauley, Keira Ryan. JUNIORS: Natalie Rose, Vivian Ross, Valerie Wiliams, Julianne Cozine. SOPHOMORE: Abby Almeida. FRESHMEN: Emily Waller, Avery Cooper, Lila Roy, Sophia Mitus, Kaiya Cavanaugh.

The Orioles went 3-13 last season and brought in Mike Lafayette as their new coach. Seniors Laura Cote and Olivia Lafayette (Elms College commit) should lead the team, Lafayette said.

Smith Vocational

Coach: Nelson Lacey

League/Division: Bi-County/4

Roster: SENIORS: Jennifer Bouchard, Josilyn Dubay, Kaitlyn Guerin, Annalise Kaczenski, Daelin Murdock. JUNIORS: Abby Desrocher, Kaitlyn Fedora, Jaelyn Kulas, Makayla Tatro, Brook Woolcott. SOPHOMORES: Vanessa Antil, Caitlin WIllard. FRESHMEN: Vera Hollowell, Kirra Trudell.

Head coach and Smith Voc alum Nelson Lacey is entering his 17th season with the Vikings. Josilyn Dubay, older sister of the three Dubay sisters on Hampshire, enters her senior season as the Vikings’ captain and starting catcher.

Smith Voc’s strength is its lineup, which Lacey said is humming already. Makayla Tatro is a toolsy shortstop and Caitlin Willard is “coming into her own this year” at second base, Lacey said. Center fielder Abby Desrocher has improved her game substantially in the past year, Lacey said.

Pitchers Vanessa Antil and Vera Hollowell will split time.

Northampton

Coach: Chase Every-Giroux

League/Division: Franklin East/2

Roster: SENIOR: Caroline Riordon. JUNIORS: Jada Ne, Lily Pelis, Sasha Rodriguez. SOPHOMORES: Olivia Evans, Ella Daillie, Kira Lawrence-Riddell, Nadia Lowy-Orzolek, Giada Mason, Simone Pager, Harper Rathaus, Jordan Sage. FRESHMEN: Jayla Alejandro, Haly Doucette-Kaplan, Jani Gotay, Ella Sobocz.

Chase Every-Giroux, who manages the youth softball program in Northampton, takes over a varsity program that went 4-16 last year. The Blue Devils saw a large bump in prospective players trying out for the team this year compared to last year, Every-Giroux said.

Northampton is working on developing a pitcher after Kaliya Valentin’s graduation last year.

Team captain Caroline Riordan moved from the outfield to first base, and crushed a home run down the third base line in her second at-bat of the season against West Springfield. Catcher Sasha Rodriguez plays year-round and is a threat offensively and defensively, Every-Giroux said. Freshman Haly Doucette-Kaplan is a promising starter at shortstop or pitcher.

Gateway

Coach: Matt Bonenfant

League/Division: Bi-County/5

Roster: SENIORS: Alexi Bonenfant, Maia Kibbe, Angela Magyar, Kaitlyn Maynard, Reeghan Morawiec, Anna Sakaske, Sawyer Wilkinson. JUNIORS: Amy Fisk, Cynthea Papillon. SOPHOMORES: Elizabeth Kadzik, Erica Madru, Grace Renauld. EIGHTH GRADE: Willow Hicks.

Gateway’s senior-laden squad is 1-1 so far in 2024, with a 10-3 win over Smith Voc. and a 17-3 loss to Lee. Head coach Matt Bonenfant tabbed Angela Magyar, Kaitlyn Maynard, Alexi Bonenfant and Willow Hicks as players to watch.

Smith Academy

Coach: Moira Pitrat

League/Division: Suburban West/5

Roster: SENIORS: Emilia Neves, Emma Moynihan, Meghan Bell. JUNIORS: Caitlin Graves, Alexa Jagodzinski. SOPHOMORES: Marissa Belina, Anna Scagel, Emma Tisdell. FRESHMAN: Nataly Slysz. EIGHTH GRADE: Deanna Frew, Madison Didonna-Renner. SEVENTH GRADE: Sophia Jagodzinski, Jane Lavallee, Amelia LeRoy.

Moira Pitrat returns for her second year as Smith Academy’s head coach after a 3-15 campaign in 2023. Smith Academy returns seven players from last year, including Emilia Neves, Caitlin Graves and Alexa Jagodzinski.