With the addition of pitcher Jill Ondrick, Weymouth softball accelerates its ascension
The arrival of
Jill Ondrick
, a two-time Globe All-Scholastic committed to South Carolina, stamps the Wildcats' legitimacy.
'Last year was to build their confidence,' said fifth-year Weymouth coach
Vanessa Haen
. 'This year, they don't need that. They recognize that they can play.'
Ondrick, the Catholic Central League MVP last year at Archbishop Williams, hit .411 with 13 home runs and 31 RBIs at the plate and fanned 227 in 127 innings, posting a 1.16 ERA last season.
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Now a junior, Ondrick decided to transfer back to public school, reuniting with her hometown friends.
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Playing club for the highly touted Louisville Sluggers 18U Huecker team on the national circuit, Ondrick reached 69 miles per hour from the circle, equivalent to over 100 m.p.h. from the baseball mound.
Flamethrower? Absolutely. But there's far more to her game.
Described as the hardest worker in the room by Haen, Ondrick trains tirelessly. She's determined to surpass her home run record and altered her vertical movement pitches, specifically her riser and drop ball.
'I feel like I've come a long way with my work ethic and being productive,' said Ondrick, who drew motivation from seeing high-level athletes at travel tournaments. 'At times, I'd want to get better and work harder, but it was harder to focus on work on the things that I'd need to. I've gotten so much better at going outside and hitting or going inside to pitch.'
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South Carolina-bound junior Jill Ondrick struck out 227 batters in 127 innings last season.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
The lone senior on the team, catcher
Paige Sellon
, trained with Ondrick four times a week in the offseason. Committed to Mass Maritime, Sellon needed to be prepared for the spin and velocity that Ondrick delivers.
'Most people don't play on a team with someone who's committed to South Carolina,' said Sellon. 'She's definitely going to make everyone better.'
The workouts aided Ondrick, on and off the field. After all, they were teammates beginning in third grade.
'She was one of my biggest supporters when I was coming back to Weymouth,' said Ondrick. 'She was by my side through it all.'
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With Ondrick, the sky could be the limit.
Sophomore shortstop
Bella Pires
, who joined the team as an eighth grader after playing baseball all her life, anchors the lineup alongside Ondrick. Pires had to learn the game: throwing a different ball, contrasting bat shapes, even new pants.
A Bay State All-Star last season, she's a vocal leader on a team filled with young talent.
'You have to start them young,' said Pires. 'You have to have kids be excited about softball. When they get to varsity, they'll know what they are doing.'
Vanessa Hoen leads Weymouth through an indoor practice as they look to improve on last year's 11 wins.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
It's been a labor of love for Haen to grow the softball program. It used to be an afterthought, an activity to pick up for two months before leaving the bat and glove to collect dust for 10 months.
'Everyone started to realize that this is a more serious program than it was in past years,' said Pires. 'I could see more of a mentality change in everyone.'
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Now, everyone plays year-round. There's been a mentality shift, buoyed by a collective buy-in. The objective is no longer just to compete — it's to win, and to do it against elite competition.
'Oh, softball, it's the losing team for Weymouth,' said Sellon. 'Now, we're competitive like the baseball team. It's finally a turning point.'
It's time to put Weymouth softball on the map.
'The stigma behind what softball used to be here is gone,' said Haen. 'That's not here anymore.'
Now in her fifth season, coach Vanessa Hoen has flipped the perception of Weymouth softball.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Extra bases
▪ Coming off its
'Throughout the last couple of weeks, we've found a system where we think we can replicate [last year's success],' coach
Nate Farrington
said. 'We have a lot of players coming back with experience, who got a taste of what getting that far in the tournament felt like, and we really feel like we can do it again.'
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Expanded roles for sophomores
Kate Suneson
and
Hailey DaRosa
, as well as senior
Christina Magnett
(a two-time South Coast All-Star), provide a battle-tested presence. Freshman
Reese Taylor
, who threw four hitless innings and struck out 11
Sarah DelVecchio
joins Taylor on the pitching staff, with senior
Caleigh Venuti
, who is committed to Emmanuel, providing consistency behind the plate.
In a deep South Coast Conference that features defending state champions (Dighton-Rehoboth, Joseph Case) and perennial contenders, the road ahead will not be easy.
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'We play really competitive games throughout the year and that helps everybody,' Farrington added. 'Those are the kind of games and kind of teams we want to play, because that's what's going to continue to make us better.'
▪ It's a new era for Bishop Stang, with
Halle Young
stepping in as head coach following a 4-win season in 2024. The Spartans picked up their first win under their new skipper with a 20-8 decision over Bourne.
▪ One of the best softball products out of Massachusetts in recent years, 2023
Games to watch
Wednesday, No. 17 Attleboro at No. 15 Norton, 3:45 p.m.
— Each squad's offense has been firing on all cylinders, but neither has faced a highly-touted opponent.
Wednesday, No. 18 Middleboro at No. 14 Apponequet, 4 p.m.
— The Sachems look to rebound after an opening setback against Dighton-Rehoboth, while the Lakers aim to earn an early Top 20 win.
Friday, No. 11 Bridgewater-Raynham at No. 2 King Philip, 4 p.m.
— King Philip will be a difficult out, but don't sleep on these Trojans.
Friday, No. 3 Dighton-Rehoboth at No. 1 Taunton, 6 p.m.
— An early-season battle of juggernauts and defending state champions takes center stage.
Cam Kerry can be reached at
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