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The first week of the regular season is now in the books, and if that’s any indication of what’s going to take place throughout the next couple of months, the Winchester High softball team has the potential to create some postseason noise in June.
The Red & Black went 3-1 in their first four games, starting with the 12-3 thrashing of visiting Cambridge on March 30. They then edged Waltham a couple of days later in a comeback effort, 16-13, before being humbled by non-league powerhouse Central Catholic.
But in the Middlesex League opener against host Arlington on Wednesday, April 8, the Winchester girls came roaring back to pound the Spy Ponders, 15-3.
After Arlington notched the first run of the game, Coach Jason Capodanno’s team answered back with a seven-run second inning to cruise the rest of the way in a mercy rule-shortened game. The win got them back on track to begin next week against the Tanners of Woburn at Woburn’s Liberty Park on April 14, starting at 4:15 p.m.
The Red & Black collected 12 hits throughout this five-inning offensive show. Pacing that attack was junior Carys Gugliotta, the team’s leadoff hitter, who came within one homerun of the cycle after coming through with a single, double and triple, which produced two RBI. She also scored four runs.
Senior Nora Harstad (2 singles) and sophomore Gabby Katz (2 singles) each drove in three runs. Senior captain Tessa Capodanno also singled twice to go along with two walks, which resulted in two more RBI.
Capodanno was also dominant in the circle after throwing four hitless innings that included six strikeouts, while issuing just three walks. Harper McDaniels struck out the side in the final inning sandwiched around one hit, two walks and one earned run.
The win over Arlington re-energized the team’s confidence after the Central Catholic blowout. The Raiders scored in every inning to turn this abbreviated mercy rule game into a rout rather quickly.
But there were still some highlights by the home team. Gugliotta accounted for three singles in as many at-bats, and Capodanno doubled home a run.
Against Waltham on April 1, Winchester overcame an 11-5 deficit in the fourth to earn a 16-13 win. The Red & Black scored eight times in the home half to take the lead, 13-11. The Hawks tied it up in the fifth with two runs, but the home team came right back with three to secure the win.
Freshman Katherine Lisy powered the offensive attack with her first career varsity home run, a solo blast in the second. She also doubled in a run to go along with walking once. Harstad was credited with two singles and two RBI. Gwen Gaiko singled in two runs. Ella Centurelli collected two singles and one RBI.
Hannah Chan-MacRae went the first 1.2-innings in the circle, before being relieved by McDaniels (3.1 innings, 2 hits, 6 runs, 5 earned, 8 walks, 6 strikeouts) and Capodanno (2 hits, 2 runs, 0 earned) to help complete the comeback effort.
In the opener against Cambridge, McDaniels went the first five innings, allowing three hits, eight walks and two earned runs, while fanning 11. Capodanno then yielded six walks and one earned run over the final two stanzas to go along with four strikeouts.
Winchester banged out nine hits against the Falcons. Katz was credited with three singles, one triple and three RBI to lead the attack. Mia Watson tripled in a run. Capodanno chipped in with a single and a double. Anna D’Antonio and Gugliotta each singled once.
Joe McConnell is a longtime, award-winning sports editor for numerous North Shore publications. He began covering Winchester sports for the News in November 2024 and is currently its Sports Editor. He can be reached at editor@winchesternews.org.
