Revere softball ready for Division 1 state tournament

By Dom Nicastro

The Revere High School softball team capped off a remarkable regular season with a 15-5 record, securing its spot in the Division 1 state tournament as the No. 36 seed out of 38 teams. They will face the No. 29 seed, Shrewsbury, which holds a 5-13 record, on Friday, May 31, at 3:30 p.m. on the road.

This is a sign of great improvement under Coach Megan O’Donnell in the past few seasons. In her third year, O’Donnell has guided teams to four-win, seven-win and now 15-win seasons.

The Patriots showcased their prowess with a mix of offensive and defensive strengths throughout the season.

“This is a hard-hitting team that is just really good,” O’Donnell said. “I knew we were going to be close to winning 10 games to make the tournament.”

So, 15? Yes, that is above and beyond for the Patriots. A strong postseason performance would simply be icing on an already tremendous 2024.

Essentially, the Patriots have shown 100% improvement over the last two seasons. To what does the coach attribute the success to? Leadership. Seniors Juliana Bolton, Isabella Qualtieri, Luiza Santos, Ally and Riley Straccia, Dakota Lanes and Olivia Morris were outstanding all season.

Their journey to the state tournament included key victories in their final two games of the regular season.

In a thrilling matchup against Lynn Classical on May 22, the Patriots triumphed 9-6. The game saw standout performances from Lea Doucette, who hit an inside-the-park home run, and Caleigh Joyce, who doubled and scored a crucial run. Danni Hope Randall pitched a solid game, striking out 12 over seven innings, allowing only three hits and six runs.

The following day, Revere secured another victory, defeating Saugus 6-4. Doucette once again led the charge with another inside-the-park home run and a triple, while Shayna Smith added a sacrifice fly.

Randall continued to shine, earning the win by pitching seven innings and striking out five, while allowing just five hits and four runs.

Throughout the season, the Patriots demonstrated their depth and talent. Doucette led the team with an impressive .556 batting average, hitting five home runs and driving in 33 runs. Ally Straccia was also a key contributor with a .568 average and two home runs.   Shayna Smith (.483), Riley Straccia (.481) and Frankie Reed (.452) provided consistent offensive support, each hitting over .450 and combining for 81 RBIs. Smith had four homers, and Reed added two.

Defensively, the Patriots were anchored by Hope Randall, who pitched 111 innings, striking out 170 batters with a 3.34 ERA. Gianna Chiodi also contributed with 16 innings pitched and 25 strikeouts.

As they head into the state tournament, the Patriots are poised to make a strong run, leveraging their balanced offensive and defensive strategies. The team’s blend of experienced players and emerging talent has positioned them as a formidable opponent in the upcoming match against Shrewsbury.

O’Donnell credited her coaching staff — Victoria Correia and Hailey Powers — for bringing wisdom, guidance and support all season.

“Everyone played hard this season and played different positions,” O’Donnell said.   “They were willing to pinch-hit, pinch-run. Everybody just did their job. And I had a great coaching staff.”