BHS Softball Team Preps for Next Home Game: Monday against Westford

The team celebrated “Dress Like Walsh Day” on April 27 before their home game against Waltham ~ Courtesy image (c) 2022 all rights reserved

~ Special to The Bedford Citizen

(L to R) Senior Captains Bella Fernald (C), Ellie Mitchell (SS), and Cassidy Schuman (2B) review ground rules ahead the Varsity season opener vs. North Andover ~ Image John Mitchell (c) 2022 all rights reserved

The Bedford High School varsity softball team is off to a strong start in 2022, with a 5-0 record heading into May. The team is currently ranked #14 by the Boston Globe, having closed out last week with a decisive 11-0 win over Weston.

Last year, in a COVID-altered schedule with limited opponents, Bedford rolled through most games with scores in the double-digits, before eventually succumbing in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Division 2 tournament to a tough Danvers team. Going into this season, the team knew they’d be facing more competitive opponents and a stronger schedule.

Senior captains Ellie Mitchell (SS/C), Cassidy Schuman (2B/CF), and Bella Fernald (C/3B) comprise the top of the lineup, batting 1-2-3, with junior Laney Mead (1B) in the cleanup spot. Juniors Kaylee Grace and Coco Steele share duties on the mound, with catching rotating among Fernald, senior Amber Hurley, junior Maggie Carluccio, freshman Alice Cooprider, and Mitchell. Rounding out the lineup as utility players are juniors Gianna Missitti (3B/OF) and Lulu Steele (OF/P), sophomore Madi DiPerna (OF), and freshman Ani Eskandarian (2B/OF). Senior Ani Zildjian serves as team manager.

Most of the girls have been playing together in Bedford for 10 or more years, starting in T-ball or Farm League through Bedford Babe Ruth. With such longstanding relationships and well-developed team camaraderie, the players implicitly trust each other and know each other’s strengths.

This year the team has a new mascot, Bucky—a stuffed teddy bear created by the players at an early team-building outing to Build-a-Bear at the Burlington Mall. After every game, Bucky poses with the player(s) who made the strongest contributions to that day’s contest, and those pictures are posted to the team’s Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/bedfordhssoftball/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/bedfordsoftball) accounts.

As in most years, the varsity has yet to play on its home turf at Miss G Field, as weather and field conditions are always tough at the start of the season. The friendly confines of E-field have served the team well, but they’re looking forward to shifting down to their regular home near Sabourin Field as soon as possible.

The Bucs take on powerhouse Westford, currently ranked #1 by the Boston Globe, this coming Monday, May 2, at 4:00 pm at home, in what promises to be one of their toughest games of the season. The Bucs are coached by Dennis Walsh and Meaghan Asp.