Lewiston coach Fred Royer has five pitchers at his disposal who can do the job.
By Kevin Mills
Staff Writer

LEWISTON — Fred Royer might not use the phrase, “pitching by committee,” but when he speaks about the Lewiston softball team’s pitching, he’ll say he’s got five hurlers and he intends to use all of them.

What has recently become an unpopular strategy for the Fenway Faithful, isn’t expected to curse the Blue Devils’ hopes of building off last year’s success.

“We still have high hopes for this season because we did so well last year,” said third baseman/pitcher Shannon Godin. “We have basically all the same players. Our goal is to make it to states this year — to do better than we did last year.”

Lewiston reached the Western A final last season before losing a nailbiter to Biddeford. The Blue Devils have been grooming a winner for a few seasons now, and last year was just a glimpse of what Lewiston could offer.

“We did better than everyone thought we would,” said Godin. “I think we’re making everyone take a look at the Lewiston softball team and think higher of us now.”

One glitch in building off last year’s season is replacing pitcher Amanda Collette. She emerged as one of the league’s most promising hurlers before she transferred to St. Dom’s after last year.

“It’s like losing a senior,” said Katie Morin, a shortstop and pitcher. “You find someone else to take their position. You evolve from that. It’s not a big loss. It’s like losing a centerfielder. They’re a big part of the team too, but you just find somebody to replace them.”

Royer found a variety of candidates. What is a void for the Blue Devils is also an opportunity.

“I didn’t think I’d be pitching this much in my high school career,” said Morin, who had some starts last year. “Now I’m going to pitch a lot this year, and I’m going to have to pitch a lot next year. Last year, I was like: ‘Okay, I’m playing shortstop.’

“Some of us have pitched forever and never were able to. We never got the chance to, and this is our chance this year.”

Morin has been pitching since she was 9- or 10-years-old. Sophomore Amanda Michaud has been on the mound since she was about six. Godin’s been throwing for about five years while Steph Lagasse and Meagan Marcoux started in middle school.

“We’ve been training for so long to be pitchers,” said Godin. “Now we finally know we can step in and show what we’re made of. It’s kind of exciting to know that we can really show that we have a dynamic team. We can have a lot of people stepping in. It’s just exciting to be able to get to pitch.”

The defense around the pitching staff should be solid. There will be plenty of tinkering because all the pitchers play other positions. Lagasse, Morin, Godin, outfielder Nicole Caron and catcher Ali Coleman all return as starters. Coleman will be a benefit to the new pitching staff behind the plate.

“She started as a freshman and caught every game,” said Royer. “That’s good experience behind the plate. Any coach likes to see that.”

Players like Ashley Albert at second and Allie Morin, a catcher and infielder, lead a group of players stepping into larger roles.

“There’s some newcomers that we need to come along and matchup up with the veteran five,” said Royer.

Morin, Godin and Michaud are likely to see the most time. Lagasse is an experienced outfielder, and Marcoux has been ill during the preseason. Still, Royer has a number of options.

“We have five pitchers and we’ll probably use anywhere from two to four pitchers,” he said. “We’ll find out who can get the job done.”

It may take a little time for players to settle in or adjust to changing roles when different pitchers get a chance, but in time, this Lewiston club hopes to evolve into a winner.

“We’re really pumped this year,” said Morin. “Everyone’s good at their position. We have a chance to move people around. People that play a certain position, they pitch too. So we’re going to have to come together and have confidence in the people that are behind us. So that will bring us closer than we were last year.”

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