To say Abby Rochette put together a fine season last year would be selling the Concord senior awfully short.
If there was an accolade or accomplishment to be had on the softball diamond in 2018, it likely belonged to Rochette. She was a Division I First Team All-State pick, the Pitcher of the Year and scored the game-winning run during the championship when she slid home safely in the ninth of the Tide’s 5-4 extra-innings win over Spaulding.
If that wasn’t enough, Rochette was recognized nationally as the Gatorade New Hampshire Softball Player of the Year after a season in which she tossed three no-hitters, struck out nearly two batters per inning and went 12-1 with an ERA south of 1.00 during the regular season.
And now Rochette returns to try and do it all over again.
“I consider her to be at least a top three or four player in Division I this year,” Concord softball coach Duke Sawyer said.
“Not only can she pitch – she won 15 games for us – but she also batted .405 from the leadoff spot. She does it offensively and defensively, she’s probably the fastest runner on the team and she’s the best base runner. She’s got it all. She’s got all the tools to be a great softball player. I’m lucky to have her for one more year,” Sawyer said.
After an 18-3 season that ended with the program’s sixth state championship, and first since 2009, Rochette and the rest of the Tide return eager to defend their title in a top-heavy Division I.
That quest for Concord begins Monday afternoon at Memorial Field when the Tide hosts Windham at 4 p.m. for the regular-season opener.
“It’s going to be tough this year and when you come back as the champs like we are, everybody’s going to be gunning after us,” Sawyer said. “Whether they’re good teams or bad teams, everybody wants to beat last year’s champ.”
To beat these defending champs will take a team that can crack Rochette and the rest of Concord’s talented pitching staff.
While Rochette will undoubtedly operate as the team’s ace after allowing 37 hits with 151 strikeouts over 83⅓ innings last season, Sawyer said he’s confident in the group behind her, which includes junior Nicole LeBrum, senior Elise O’Neil and JV call-up Alice Rosenberg.
“We have four good pitchers on the staff so that’s probably our strongest point this year,” Sawyer said. “I’d like to get the other girls in, which I will, but Abby sets the tone. We’ll work around her. There’s some good arms there, too. The other girls can pitch, but Abby is the elite pitcher.”
Along with Rochette and LeBrum, Concord also brings back starters Autumn Nudd (shortstop), Anna Brock (third base), Anita DiBuono (first base) and First Team All-State catcher Abby Corbett to set up the infield. Senior Carly Torrance is expected to start at second base and sophomore Lillian Rienstra will take over backup catching duties.
Corbett led the team in RBI last season and also delivered two of the biggest moments of the year when she drilled a two-run home run to draw Concord even with Spaulding in the sixth inning of the final and then proceeded to drive in Rochette with the game-winning fielder’s choice.
“She’s just so solid back there,” Sawyer said. “(Rochette) and her work well together, it’s their third year working together in high school and they know each other very well now. Corbett calls the game, we don’t call it from the dugout. It’s huge to have her back there for Abby and for the other pitchers now, too.”
The only real question marks for the Tide entering the season is its outfield alignment, especially when Rochette is in the circle.
LeBrum has the most experience among the group, but O’Neil, Elizabeth Blinn, Ella Diers, Sydney Plante and Alyssa Fallon are all expected to compete for outfield playing time
“Blinn is a freshman, she’s looked good out there. Plante is looking good in the outfield. I think, eventually it’s going to be a strong group for us once we get going, play some games and see what we need to work on,” Sawyer said.
Concord isn’t expected to be a powerhouse offense, but it wasn’t all that potent of a lineup last season and that worked out just fine for Sawyer, who prefers the Tide to do what it does best: Pitch and play defense.
“We ended the year last year really tough defensively, and with Abby pitching, those two combinations, you don’t have to score a lot of runs to win games,” Sawyer said. “It’s something we focus on and we’re going to be really strong.”
(Jay McAree can be reached at 369-3371, jmcaree@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @JayMcAree.)