By Tom Bannister

Although a long winter has kept most teams practicing indoors right up to the start of the season, the Somerville Highlander Varsity Softball team began the season last week dropping their first three games against Cambridge, Everett and Salem.

The 0-3 start is not how first year head coach, Tim Hawkins, would have hoped to start the season, but says he sees some encouraging signs in the attitude and effort of the girls.

“We have had some challenges with injuries to pitchers in the off-season, but Kayla Linehan, our Junior pitcher, has kept us competitive into the late innings. She has battled on the mound. We just need to get more aggressive on offense.”

Last Friday the Highlanders dropped their first home game to Salem 14-3 in seven innings, but did not commit any errors in the field. “That is a testimony to how hard they have worked in the last few weeks, each girl, to get better fundamentally,” Hawkins said. “I’m really proud of the way they are competing.”

Junior Captain Brook Metivier agreed saying, “We have a solid team this year and hopefully our record will show that. The games have been exciting and we are committed to how we play.”

While the Highlanders may not have put up a win on the field in the opening week, there was plenty to celebrate off the field. Seniors, Kayla O’Regan and Briana Lino, were inducted into the National Honor Society. And Juniors Alyvia Baker and Anjelica Bullen were selected to represent SHS at the Best Buddies International Leadership Conference.

You can catch the Highlanders in a two game set on Friday, April 24 at 1 and 3 p.m.