The Bedford High School varsity softball team wrapped up a stellar 2024 spring season last night at UMASS Lowell’s River View Field in the semi-finals of the MIAA Division 2 state tournament.
The Bucs, #7 in the tournament rankings, ended the season with a 19-5 record after falling 1-0 to the #3 ranked Walpole High School Timberwolves (21-1 season record).
It’s not a surprise to anyone following these two teams that Tuesday’s game did not come down to pitching. Both teams were equipped with stellar lights-out elite pitchers who dominated all season long and into the postseason. In the two teams’ 40 total tournament innings heading into the semifinal face-off, Bedford’s Alyx Rossi and Walpole’s Sharlotte Stazinski combined to strike out 77 batters faced, only allowed nine hits, and zero earned runs.
It’s safe to say that both athletes performed just as well on the mound on Tuesday with Rossi striking out nine Timberwolves, and allowing two hits and one walk. Stazinski collected 12 K’s, allowed three hits, and two walks.
Both pitchers worked quickly and confidently and neither allowed any earned runs in the match. Stazinski took a few batters to settle in to start the game, but after that, the two juniors remained controlled and consistent throughout the seven innings despite (or with the support of) the pressure of playoffs and the volume from the benches and a couple of hundred spectators in the stands and lining the park fences.
Bedford Head Coach Dennis Walsh recapped the “game tonight proved that it can be one hit or one bounce between success and disappointment.”
Bedford’s disappointment came in the bottom of the second inning with Walpole lighting up the sole straight line that lingered on the scoreboard through the sun just starting to set at the end of the seventh inning.
Bedford began the game with one of their two more substantial scoring opportunities of the match-up. Addi Poulter drew a lead-off walk and advanced into scoring position when Rossi, batting second, reached base on Walpole’s sole defensive error of the game. Bedford first baseman Kate Patterson reached first on a fielder’s choice that threw Rossi out at second and advanced Poulter to third. But Poulter and Patterson were left on base as Stazinksi locked in and struck out the next two batters.
Walpole’s lead-off hitter, Caroline Doran, also made it on base as she skittered a ball past Ani Eskandarian at second base, and Poulter in right field. Rossi struck out the second batter, and the third sent a long fly that was tracked down by Madi DiPerna in center field for the second out. With clean-up hitter Stazinski in the batter’s box, Doran was caught stealing after sliding head first and beating the throw down from Bedford catcher Alice Cooprider, but shortstop Mia Vitti held the tag, and Doran was called out as she rolled off the base.
Bedford batters went down 1,2,3 in the top of the second inning.
Rossi struck out Stazinski returning to the plate in the bottom of the second. The Timberwolves’ number five hitter, left fielder Caroline Daley, reached first base on that “disappointment,” a bounce that led to an infield error. Daley then advanced to second on a sacrifice by right fielder Susie McAdams. Arianna Kreuzer knocked a hit to shallow right field and Daley made it around to score the game’s only run. Walpole’s designated player popped out to Vitti at short to end the inning.
Rossi and the Bucs defense only allowed two more Timberwolves’ batters to reach base through the next four innings – a walk in the third and a well-placed short bloop single in the fifth inning to the middle of the infield that Rossi and Bedford third baseman Sami Langone made diving plays for, but couldn’t reach.
Rossi, a Boston College commit, ended the season pitching a 13-3 record with a phenomenal 278 strikeouts. The junior gave up only 21 walks, 16 hits, 21 walks, and a mere two earned runs through the season. Cooprider said, “Catching for Alyx is incredible, not just because she’s fantastic, but because she brings so much energy and confidence with her.”
On the offensive side of Tuesday night, Stazinski wasn’t alone in stifling the Bedford bats, she had a strong and experienced defense behind her. Poulter struck a line drive to shallow center field in the third inning. Walpole center fielder Norah Broderick landed an outstanding forward diving roll catch to rob Bedford of a runner. Not only a highlight reel-worthy play, but an important one as Rossi, a big RBI threat, was up next. Rossi, who led Bedford’s offense this year with a .635 batting average, struck a hard low missile to center to add to her tally of 23 singles, 14 doubles, 4 triples, and 6 home runs this season. After dodging a tag on a steal, Rossi was left stranded at second at the end of the inning as Stazinski struck out the next batter.
The Buccaneers batters went down 1,2,3 in four innings – including Stazinski striking out the side in the fifth.
Still, Walsh reported Bedford “fought all the way and never stopped believing.”
There was hope in the sixth inning when first baseman Patterson reached first base on a hard-fought two-out walk after fouling off several pitches. Cooprider came up and sent a strong ground ball single that hugged the right-field line and moved Patterson to third. Elora Fennell came in to pinch run for the catcher. But a high pop to second base later ended that half of the inning.
Of the one hit or one bounce that Walsh said could make the game, Rossi felt hits made a difference in this game – or rather not getting their hits. Even though Bedford has been productive up and down the line-up this season, with a .327 team batting average in 797 plate appearances, and outscored their opponents 203 to 38, Rossi was ready to get to work on next season immediately after the game and said, “Hitting is a goal for the off-season, and the off-season starts tomorrow.”
Walsh was happy with the team’s grind and teamwork this season – “They put in the time, accepted, and supported one another throughout.”
Following the fun, hardworking, and supportive season, the mood was almost universally the same as the equipment was loaded onto the bus after Tuesday’s game: the excitement for next year sort of outweighed the disappointment of the loss. Rossi said, “We had a good run, but we are looking forward to coming back strong next year and winning it all for Madi.”
Centerfielder and team captain Madi DiPerna, who graduated last week, was Bedford’s only senior this season. DiPerna said, “I couldn’t be more proud of this team. These girls are truly like family to me and I am grateful for every single one of them. They are such a special group of girls and I know they will go and win it all next year!”
The team had the same respect for DiPerna. Walsh said, “There is not a more selfless teammate or better leader than Madi DiPerna.”
With a young team, DiPerna’s leadership should set the tone for the rest of the team expecting to return next year. Bedford’s starting lineup was made up of senior DiPerna, juniors Alyx Rossi, Ani Eskandarian, and Cooprider, sophomores Patterson, Vitti, Langone, Poulter, and Lexi Masters, and freshman Annie Rossi. Walsh and the team were supported by assistant coaches Bill Berlino and Meagan Asp, and managed by sophomore Avery Wasserman.
Cooprider said DiPerna “is a fabulous leader, a great role model, and an even better friend. It won’t be the same without her next year, but she’s absolutely left a positive mark on BHS Softball. Obviously, we all wanted to play another game, but we couldn’t have gotten as far as we did without learning how to lift each other up, and a huge part of that was our captain.”
Bedford’s self-professed “Bucs Super Fan,” Nathan Cooprider, who showed up to games all season with a blue and white wig and face paint, said this has been a great season to watch. “It’s been a lot of fun to see this team go further than they have in decades. We’ll really miss Madi, but are looking forward to seeing what the team can do when they come back next year.”
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