Medway Softball Takes It One Game at a Time

It was a rough spring last year for the Medway softball team as the Mustangs failed to make the playoffs for the fourth straight season under Coach Jeff Kearney. Although the Mustangs concluded the 2016 season with a 5-15 record, Kearney is looking for the team to break that streak and advance into the tournament this year.
“Our goal is to get the 10 wins needed to qualify for the state tournament and see what happens once we get there,” the Medway Coach said. “We’re off to a good start and need only another four wins to qualify, but there is still a lot of softball to be played and the Tri-Valley League is tough. We’re taking it one game at a time.”
During the early goings, Medway has only found their way into the losing column on one occasion and sits tied with Norton for second place behind Hopkinton in the TVL. One of the big factors to the Mustangs’ success has been two incoming freshmen; pitcher Catherin Higgins and second baseman Elis Cook. The two newcomers have elevated Medway’s play to where they are contenders in the TVL.
Higgins, who plays club softball at a high level, came in and took control of the pitching circle. The freshman has already recorded 71 strikeouts in 48 innings of work while posting a miniscule 1.02 ERA. In the batter’s box she not only leads her team with a .714 average but is tops in the league.
“She is nasty, and hitters are finding out the hard way,” Kearney said. “She throws around 60 MPH and has three or four off speed pitches she can throw for strikes. She has so many strikeouts there is no real pressure on the defense.”
Offensively, Cook bats second behind Higgins and is currently hitting the ball at a .450 clip; she is also the team’s back-up pitcher if the Coach ever needs to give his ace a rest.
In addition to the newbies propelling the Mustangs to a possible tournament berth, Medway is also led by its tri-captains Shannon McHugh, Kylie Sheehan and Ceilidh Higgins.
McHugh, the only senior among the trio, is considered the vocal leader. Having been on the squad for four years, the senior brings a lot of experience to the field as well as knowledge, while keeping the rest of the team focused. Sheehan is a rock behind the plate for Medway and is one of the smartest athletes on the field according to her coach. At the plate, she is batting .476, leads the team in RBI and the league in stolen bases with 7 to this point.
The elder Higgins plays the hot corner for the team and was Kearney’s number one hurler last spring. On the field she is a phenomenal defensive athlete and with her younger sister throwing the ball so well in the circle opposing teams look to get on base anyway they can, but Higgins shuts down the idea of anyone bunting. Hitting in the three hole she has also contributed some clutch hitting for Medway.
While it certainly looks as though Medway could qualify for post-season play for the first time in five years, Kearney and the team are taking nothing for granted.
“It would be great to qualify for the first time since I’ve been here,” he said. “How far can we go if we get there, who knows, but it’s one game at a time.”