Causing havoc at the dish with a 14-for-16 start: Taunton Tornadoes 10U softball red hot
TEWKSBURY— The Taunton Tornadoes 10U may only have four returning players from last year's squad, but they're still up to their winning ways.
The Tornadoes opened the 2024 travel season by winning the Tewksbury Girls Softball League's 15th Annual Think Pink Invitational at the Tewksbury Field of Dreams Complex last weekend, compiling a 5-0-1 record while outscoring their opponents 78-8.
"As a new team playing in our first tournament, our girls really came together quickly," Tornadoes coach Peter Buffington said. "We had great pitching, incredible team defense (with only) an error in six games and timely hitting."
After tying the Methuen Rangers 10U 2-2 in the opening game on May 4, the Taunton offense exploded with a 17-1 win over Show 10U and a 10-0 shut of Wildfire 10U to end the day. On Sunday, the hot bats continued as the Tornadoes took down hosts Tewksbury Blue 10U 21-0 and Tewksbury Red 10U 20-5 to set up a rematch with the Rangers in the title game, which Taunton took 8-0.
"Credit to them for playing six games in two days in uncomfortable weather," Buffington said. "(I'm) looking forward to what our season brings."
Abbey Sawyer led the way for the Tornadoes, going a combined 14-for-16 with 14 runs and 10 RBIs at the plate while also going 3-0 in the circle giving up six runs (four earned) on three hits and 12 walks while striking out 20 in nine innings of work, including a shutout of Tewksbury Blue. Paisley Malaguti went 2-0-1 in the circle, giving up a pair of runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks while striking out 36, recording a pair of shutouts including a 14 strikeout perfect game against the Wildfire.
Other notable performers include Raelyn Bourque, who went 8-for-14 with 12 runs and five RBIs, Charlotte Buffington, who went 9-for-11 with nine runs and eight RBIs and Lylah Parece, who went 1-for-7 with a home run, five runs and a pair of RBIs.
The members of the 2024 Taunton Tornadoes 10U squad are Raelyn Bourque, Charlotte Buffington, Callie Cantrell, Ariella Coheno, Mia DeMatteo, Isabelle Dias-Martin, Emmy Korske, Addison Lefebvre, Paisley Malaguti, Shayna Oliver, Lylah Parece, Abbey Sawyer, Isabella Soares and Nora Thurston. They are coached by Peter Buffington, Peter Fernandes, Manuel Parece and Brian Sawyer.
Taunton Daily Gazette sports reporter Cameron Merritt can be reached at cmerritt@tauntongazette.com. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @CamMerritt_News. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to the Taunton Daily Gazette today.
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton Tornadoes 10U softball back to winning ways to start 2024
