The Assabet softball team is coming off a historic season and has shown no signs of slowing down.  After reaching the Division 3 district finals last year, Assabet has begun the year 5-1 (2-1 Colonial Athletic League).

“I’m happy, we lost the left side of our infield and had to move our best outfielder to third,” Assabet head coach Mike O’Brien said.

       “Our motto this year is to play with a little swagger, not cockiness, but we want teams to know that you’ve got to play us hard because we are going to play hard.” 

       Assabet is led by its senior tri-captains who are all in the outfield, Jackie Orangio (CF), Meg McMahon (LF) and Laurie Demars (RF).  All three are slap hitters who have good speed and cause havoc on the base paths.

       “We’re a smaller team than most,” O’Brien said.  “I call them bunny rabbits because they get on the base and cause chaos.”

       Orangio is the catalyst and the team’s leadoff hitter.  She’s hitting over .600 and has reached base at least twice in five of the six games Assabet has played.  The one game she reached a single time the Aztecs lost.  In Assabet’s two wins last week she scored five runs and had five hits.

       Jocelyn Orangio, Jackie’s younger sister, has stepped in as a freshman to take over the shortstop position.

       “She has a good understanding of how to field, she’s now learning more advanced techniques and she plays hard,” O’Brien said. 

       Morgan Parmenter has shifted from the outfield to third base and in the words of O’Brien is “thriving.”  Brittany Lutz, who is coming off an injury-plagued year, is at second and Jen Casavant is at first.  Casavant is the team’s best all-around hitter and leads the team in slugging percentage.

       In the circle, Assabet has junior Brenna Boucher and freshman Maddy Parmenter.  Boucher was Assabet’s pitcher last year and led the team to 20 wins.  Now the Aztecs have a solid combination that will allow Boucher to get rest at the end of the year.

       “I have two strong number one’s,” O’Brien said.  “In two games Maddy has allowed just one earned run.  Brenna is 3-1, it’s a good pitching combo.”

       Perhaps Assabet’s greatest strength is catcher Chelsea Campana.  The senior calls a great game and has a formidable presence behind the plate.  She’s also delivered offensively.  Last week, Assabet defeated Clinton 11-1 and Pathfinder 9-1.