Meet the top high school softball players from Rogers, Middletown, Portsmouth and Tiverton

The Tiverton High School softball team enjoyed the best season among Newport County squads as it placed second in Division-III with a 14-4 record. Then – after handing previously unbeaten Mount St. Charles a setback in the double-elimination playoffs – the Tigers dropped two straight to the Mounties and finished as postseason runners-up.

Division-II residents Portsmouth and Middletown combined for a 5-23 record not including their head-to-head matchup won by the Patriots. Portsmouth was 4-5 before losing five of its last six contests. Middletown lost its first five games and then shut down Seton Hall University-bound starting pitcher Karissa Dupuis for the rest of the season.

Rogers compiled a 5-11 record in Division-III and memorably snapped a 26-game losing streak that dated back to the 2021 season, when it beat Classical on April 24. The Vikings won three of five contests after that as hope blossoms heading into next season.

Despite losing more than winning, each of the local squads received noteworthy efforts from a host of players. Sixteen of them are listed below.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS

Ella Bolano, Middletown 

Junior, shortstop/second baseman 

“She’s just outstanding all around,” Middletown assistant coach Jake Cathers said. “She can step into any position and do it well. She’s a five-tool player.

“She has speed and is fast on the bases. She can effortlessly field any position and she hits really well. She hit four or five home runs this year and she doesn’t try to hit them. It just comes naturally. She drives the ball. She was our only consistent offensive threat all season.”

Abbie Monkevicz, Tiverton 

Senior, first baseman

“She was our leader on and off the field. Always looking out for the team and did a wonderful job mentoring and involving the younger players,” Tiverton coach Mike Brigham said. "(She led) the team in offense with a .593 average (seventh in the league), RBIs (37, second in the league) and in hits.

“(She was) outstanding at first base, a position she will likely play at Keene State. Abbie had zero errors on the year and continuously picked balls out of the dirt. A great role model for our younger players, and she will be hard to replace.”

Gracie Keyes, Portsmouth

Senior, third base/catcher 

“Our last game against Ponaganset their coach came up to me and said how impressed he was with Gracie’s catching,” Portsmouth coach Kelly Keyes, Gracie’s mother said. "She’s definitely a wall back there. She’s excellent defensively at third base too. She plays bunts really well.

“I can put her almost anywhere. She’s super heads-up on the game and she’s very driven. She’s solid at the plate too. She puts the ball in play all the time.”

Brynn Palmer, Rogers 

Junior, catcher

“She started as our cleanup hitter. But we moved her up to (leadoff) or second because she was always getting on base,” Rogers coach Mary Sweeney said. “People could move her around from there. She had a .488 batting average and had 11 RBIs which was the best on the team.

“She was super vital as our catcher. We had two freshmen pitchers and she really built their confidence. She made the right calls in different situations and they knew they could trust her.”

MOST IMPROVED PLAYERS

Mila Abedon, Portsmouth 

Senior, outfielder

“Going strictly by improvement, Mila would have to be my choice,” Keyes said. “Last year was her first year playing. There was a big difference in her from the beginning of the season to the end. She’s a quick learner.

“In the outfield she made a big difference with her speed. She never gave up on the ball and learned how to gauge it. Her arm strength and ability to throw improved. Hitting, she’s come a long way with her stance and just opening up to the ball.”

Sam Bettencourt, Tiverton

Senior, shortstop

“Sam was moved to shortstop full-time this year, which is her natural position, and she flourished,” Brigham said. “Consistently making amazing plays and gunning runners down with her strong arm – like the unassisted double play she turned to help us beat MSC.

“Sam also improved at the plate, more than doubling many categories like her average to .500, hits to 36, runs scored 38 (team-leading) and stolen bases.  Her outstanding play was a huge part of why we went to the championship.”

Lilly Reilly, Rogers

Junior first baseman

“Last year her sister was on the team with her and helped her get comfortable,” Sweeney said. “This year, even without her sister, she flourished. Her confidence was way through the roof.

“She was a pillar for us on defense. People could throw to her and knew the play would be made. She helped build up the confidence of the infield. One play the throw was offline and she got the ball and made a behind-the-back tag. It was awesome to see from her.”

Meghan DiScuillo, Middletown

Junior, outfielder

“In a large class of juniors she kind of stood out,” Cathers said. “She came out of the gate strong and made some great plays in the outfield early in the season to keep us in games.

“She takes a good track to the ball. Not only does she make the catch but she puts herself in position to make a throw after the catch. She’s very competitive. She always put her bat on the ball and made the right moves at the plate and in the field.”

PLAYERS ON THE RISE

Mia Ruggieri, Portsmouth 

Freshman, outfielder/pitcher

“She gets a hold of it and sends it over the fence,” Keyes said. “You’ll see a lot more of that from her in the future. She’s going to be a great hitter. She stands out to me.

“Pitching, I didn’t see her as much as I wanted to. She came in and did a great job when she got a chance. Her change-up looks good. She’s just grown a lot all around this year.”

Maeve Higgins, Rogers

Freshman, pitcher

“She really did a lot for us,” Sweeney said. “She’s not a fast pitcher and she knew she had to keep the ball over the plate and be accurate. She had good control. She was good talking with us about what she was comfortable and uncomfortable with.

“We played Cranston East and she pitched the whole game and we lost in eight innings. She kept her composure and pitched a great game. After the game, her reaction was to support her teammates. She showed respect for them.”

Kelsey Welby, Middletown

Junior, catcher

“She was a rock for us all season. I definitely see her as a future leader for the team next year,” Cathers said. “She was a solid defensive player able to block pitches in the dirt and keep the ball in front of her. She has a strong arm too and can throw runners out.

“Offensively she was very consistent. She hit around .300. She knows the strike zone and put the ball in play consistently. She’s a line-drive hitter and didn’t pop up or hit weak grounders.”

Sadie Pickering, Tiverton

Sophomore, third baseman

“(She) had an outstanding year and was our rock at third base,” Brigham said. “She was second on the team in fielding percentage – which is amazing being so young.  She is smooth at third with phenomenal footwork and fundamentals and makes the play.

“Also, strong at the plate with many clutch hits and (five or six) just-miss home runs off the fence. Even more impressive was seeing her developing into a leader on the team. She has a great attitude and works hard to keep herself and her teammates in a positive mindset.”

UNSUNG HEROES

Margaret Phelps, Rogers

Junior, centerfielder

“She improved immensely from last year and was a key person for us this year,” Sweeney said. “She’s a natural righty hitter and we switched her to the left side last year. This year she really produced.

“She developed her slap hitting and was getting bunts down and moving runners. She hit .406 for us. And she was a great communicator in the outfield. She was always backing them up and making sure they felt confident.”

Kaylee Stratford, Middletown

Senior, pitcher

“What you see is what you get with her. She’s very authentic,” Cathers said. “She’s the ultimate teammate. She’s always positive and never gets down. If someone makes an error and comes into the dugout, Kaylee is the first one to talk to her.

“She understands the fundamentals of the game. She works with the younger players on their development. She volunteered to pitch JV because they didn’t have a pitcher. Anything you asked of her she did. When (starting pitcher) Karissa (Dupuis) went out, Kaylee did what she had to do.”

Barbara Rainey, Portsmouth

Freshman, catcher/outfielder

“We used her for her speed in the outfield. She has good range and tracks the ball well,” Keyes said. “We can play her in the infield too. We can depend on her anywhere.

“She was really strong offensively at the beginning of the year. She slowed down a little later but is still a good hitter. She’s got good softball sense and has a good head on her shoulders. She’s very mature for her age.”

Abby DeMello, Tiverton

Junior, pitcher

“Abby is the player every team needs. While she carried the pitching workload, she was always ready for anything,” Brigham said. “I could ask her to play any position, lay a bunt down, change in the order and her response was always a confident, ‘I gotcha coach.’

“She was our workhorse on the mound as she recorded 11 of our 14 wins and pitched in every game. Her focus on the mound is fierce and composed. (She also was) a standout at the plate – batting .419. She’s just the do-it-all player you build a team around.”

This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Newport County high school softball teams' top players announced