Fast Pitches softball column: Cullen keeping Beverly loose, hungry

Senior second baseman Beth Cullen brings energy and enthusiasm to the Beverly High softball team.

The 18-year-old Cullen has a bubbly personality and a sense of humor that helps keep her team loose. She's also one of the captains and is hitting .594 with a team-high 16 RBIs, giving her considerable credibility and respect.

Right now the struggling Panthers (3-8) need her bat, glove and sense of playfulness if they're going to make a second half charge for state tournament qualification.

Earlier this week, the Beverly players wore golf outfits to school. Coach Megan Sudak said it was a typical sign of the team's unity despite a rough first half on the diamond.

"It was the silliest thing ever," said Sudak. "Beth probably had the most hideous outfit of all. I wish I had a picture of it. But this is the kind of thing Beth and the kids do. I think they were going to dress as pirates (the next day)."

Cullen has homered against Gloucester and Salem this season, yet she talks about that accomplishment in a self-deprecating way.

"I don't think I'll hit any more (home runs)," she said. "When you do it, you have to run all the bases at the same time instead of one at a time. It's too much."

A three-year starter who was diligent in her offseason workouts at Extra Innings in Middleton last winter, Cullen would much rather talk about how the Panthers are going to pull it together the rest of the way instead of her own contributions.

Beverly got a much-needed 1-0 win over Saugus Wednesday to snap a four-game losing streak. Junior Kristen Lojko pitched brilliantly, yielding just six hits, and sophomore shortstop Kiki McKenna knocked in the only run with a single. The Panthers will have to play with that sort of crispness and confidence in order to attain a regular season total of 10 wins to qualify for the postseason.

"It's a huge thing for us mentally," Sudak said of breaking the losing streak. "The kids see the ability they have. They haven't been down on themselves. It's a critical time for us since we're getting back to playing teams in the (Northeastern Conference) North division. We just want to put some wins together."

Beverly's mediocre start this spring is baffling to people who saw the Panthers go 16-7 last season, including two wins in the state tournament. The Panthers returned a solid group of veterans, led by Cullen, McKenna, first baseman Jayne Spiridigliozzi, left fielder Christy Nichols, shortstop Jess Gagnon and pitchers Elise Perron and Lojko. However, the Panthers found that they really miss Nicki Nardella (now starring at Trinity College in Hartford), who carried a big bat and cleaned up a lot of potential errors at first base.

"The hangup has been ... well, I can't pinpoint any one thing," said Sudak. "We started the season later than anybody; that didn't help. Sometimes it's just one bad inning.

"We're definitely young in some areas and we haven't been able to string hits together. Plus, the conference is extremely competitive this season."

Lojko and Perron formed a strong pitching tandem last season, but in a scene that no one who was there will ever forget, Perron was hit in the face by a line drive in the state tourney game against Medford. She's come back this season and while she hasn't been getting the results she desires, her courage is an inspiration to the rest of the team.

"When (Perron) was a sophomore two years ago, (Noel) Kleemola was hit in the chin by a line drive and Elise was the one who came on to pitch for her," recalled Cullen. "I don't think Elise is worried out there. If (getting hit in the face) happened to me, I wouldn't want to step back on the field, never mind the mound. It hasn't changed her. She still wants to win."

"It amazes me and the other coaches that she put on the uniform again," said Sudak. "Elise has shown a lot of character and poise. She's a trooper; she hasn't run away from it."

Still, Beverly must prove itself down the stretch. The margin of error for making the state tourney shrinks with every loss. But the players are aware of it and they're trying to do something about it.

"We started off 1-6 in field hockey (last fall) and made the state tourney, so it can be done," said Cullen, who is going to High Point (North Carolina) University next year.

"It's crazy because when you look at our lineup, it's hard to understand why we're not winning. We have a lot of talent and we're giving it a full effort. We hope everything is falling into place for us."

The Pingree School, which has just one senior, has picked up its play recently after veteran coach Jim MacLaughlin moved Kaisy Rosario of Lawrence from shortstop to center field. Sophomore Kellie Marshall of Danvers has taken over at shortstop for the Highlanders, who are 4-2 in the Eastern Independent League.

"Rosario is a captain and our only senior, (so) by putting her in center, we've solidified the middle on defense," said MacLaughlin. "We thought we could be a better team with speed and experience if we put (Rosario) out there."

Rosario is also one of the team's top hitters with a .416 average. Jaime Cappucci, a sophomore third baseman from Saugus, has been lighting up at the plate with a .459 average and 12 RBIs.

"We made a lot of mistakes last year, so we've challenged the kids to play the whole game through," said MacLaughlin. "We've definitely increased our demands. Our goal is to finish in the top four (in the league) so that we can be in the playoffs."

Marblehead High's classy senior, Courtney Colantuno, lived through a hitter's dream Tuesday. She hit for the cycle in a 12-0 triumph over Lynn English in a game that lasted just five innings due to the mercy rule.

Colantuno smashed a two-run homer in the first, then singled, doubled and tripled. She finished 4-for-4 with four runs scored and four RBIs. She was also the winning pitcher with a four-hitter.

"In all my years of softball, I've never seen anyone do that in a mercy rule game," said Marblehead coach Johnny Gold. "Courtney was ripping the cover off the ball."

Everyone knows about Danvers' fantastic shortstop, Ashley Burnham, who is headed for Division 1 James Madison next season. But Falcons coach Tara Petrocelli has also been impressed with freshman Alicia Dean, who was 2-for-3 in an 8-1 win over Salem this week.

"Alicia battles pitchers," said Petrocelli. "She'll really work the count, taking it from 0-2 to 3-2 sometimes. She had a 12-pitch at-bat against Beverly. She has confidence and a great work ethic for a young player."

Swampscott High coach Annamaria Addonizio discovered that her team was allowing 70 percent of its runs after the fifth inning, so she's changing her pitching strategy. Instead of looking or hoping for a complete game from her starter, she'll insert the reliever most likely in the fifth or sixth inning.

"I have two aces in Carissa Roche and Kristin Vinal," said Addonizio. "Now I'll just use both of them in the same game."

It won't be an experiment, either. Addonizio plans to close out the season this way.

BIG GAME ALERT: Ipswich (10-1) will be at 10-3 Amesbury next Wednesday (3:45 p.m. at the Amesbury Middle School field) in a huge Cape Ann League contest.

Amesbury is always a threat to win it all. Indians coach Chris Perry has won 16 league titles since 1985, four state titles with the most recent in 2003, and his career record is 452-81.

Ipswich has a chance in this game because Kerry Desmond is a power pitcher who has beaten everyone except North Andover (which defeated Amesbury twice this season). And the Indians will have their hands full with Ipswich's Krista MacKenzie, a speedster whose batting average has hovered near .700 of late.

Fast Pitches, a column on North Shore high school softball, appears every Friday during the season in the Salem News. To reach Mike Grenier, call 978-338-2676 or e-mail mgrenier@salemnews.com

Photos

Beverly standout Beth Cullen is hitting .594 with a team-high 16 RBIs for the 3-7 Panthers. Staff photo