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Ace Lily Welch returns to lead the Bridgewater-Raynham softball team's new cast

jason snow, the enterprise
·4 min read

Over the course of 24 years, Mike Carrozza has coached a lot of iterations of the Bridgewater-Raynham High softball team.

Some older, staffed with upperclassmen, most seasoned to chase a state title -- like the champion team in 2014. Others younger with open spots up for grab, eager to see how things unfold.

Like this year's.

“It’s all brand new," Carrozza said with a smile. "It’s a whole new team and I’m just trying to figure out who’s going to play where, offensively and defensively.”

B-R opened the season on Monday at home against Braintree.

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“The good news is," he added, "we got our pitcher back. She had a good year last year. She pitched strong in the postseason.”

"She" is Lily Welch, a senior coming off an All-Scholastic season in the circle last spring. She posted a 2.16 ERA and six shutouts as a junior, and led B-R to a 10-10 record and the No. 14 seed in the Div. 1 tournament.

Lily Welch of Bridgewater-Raynham unleashes a pitch early in the softball game with Middleboro on Monday, March 27, 2023.
Lily Welch of Bridgewater-Raynham unleashes a pitch early in the softball game with Middleboro on Monday, March 27, 2023.

“She’s going to maintain what she did last year, she may be another year stronger," said Carrozza, who sits at 391 career wins. "I know she’s going to have an excellent year.”

Welch debuted this spring with a 17-strikeout no-hitter in B-R's season-opening 1-0 win over Braintree Monday night.

She ended last season with a two-hit, 13-strikeout performance against No. 3 Taunton in the second round of tournament, a game in which B-R suffered a 4-3 loss behind three-unearned run and a walk-off homer. It was the closest finish Taunton, the eventual Div. 1 state champion, played in all its five-game postseason run: “That was one of our best games of the season," said Welch, "even though we didn’t end up on top.”

“It’s been amazing," senior right fielder Emma Flaherty said of watching Welch deliver. "I’ve played club with her (for South Shore Chaos, of East Bridgewater, since the seventh grade) so seeing her transfer that (growth) here and play with her, it’s just really fun to have her.”

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Welch, a two-time Southeast Conference All-Star, recorded 171 strikeouts and just 17 walks in 123 total innings last season. She gave up one hit and struck out 11 in B-R's 12-0 win over No. 19 Lexington in the first round of the tournament.

“Just to get stronger and build my stamina up again," Welch said of her preseason preparation. "It’s been a long off-season, so we’re just getting back into the swing of things.”

Bridgewater-Raynham softball coach Mike Carroza sends in pitch signals to his catcher during a scrimmage against Middleboro on Monday, March 23, 2023.
Bridgewater-Raynham softball coach Mike Carroza sends in pitch signals to his catcher during a scrimmage against Middleboro on Monday, March 23, 2023.

Surrounding the circle, Carrozza has multiple spots open due to the cast of seven seniors that graduated this past offseason, most notably outfielder Riain Keefe who hit .383 with 14 RBIs last year and second baseman Emma Talpey, the pair of last season's All-Scholastics.

Outfielders Lily Berman and Olivia Roy, shortstop Holly Clary, third baseman Ava Selter and second baseman Abby Campbell surround the returners Welch, Flaherty, catcher Taylor Reid -- who hit a walk-off single in the opening win over Braintree on Monday -- and first baseman Ky Hicks in the field.

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“I’ve had so many teams over the years, that our strength right now might be, hopefully, all of the above: offense, defense and pitching," said Carrozza. "But we’ve got to wait for it all to come together.”

“We’re all kind of young, but we’re close together. Everyone’s trying out there," Welch said with a smile. "That’s all we ask for.”

Flaherty agreed, “As long as everyone putting their effort and attitude in, just showing Coach what we’ve got and showing other teams what we have.”

Abby Campbell of Bridgewater-Raynham makes the catch while backing up to short right field during the softball scrimmage with Middleboro on Monday, March 27, 2023.
Abby Campbell of Bridgewater-Raynham makes the catch while backing up to short right field during the softball scrimmage with Middleboro on Monday, March 27, 2023.

B-R's postseason berth last spring extended a streak of 23 tournament appearances in Carrozza's 24 years as head coach. In recent years, the Trojans made the South Sectional Final in 2021 and the state semifinals in 2019 before the MIAA integrated the state-wide format.

Every season, has Carrozza's love for the game ever faltered?

“Nope. It never does," he said. "We’ve been to the postseason every year and that’s a good thing. That means we’re always competing.”

Highlighting B-R's schedule this year are a collection of key non-league matchups against Braintree (April 3, 4 p.m.; April 13, 4 p.m.;), Marshfield (April 18, 1 p.m.) Milton (May 5, 4 p.m.), Plymouth North (May 6, 10 a.m.; May 22, 4 p.m.) that sprinkle into games against the Southeast Conference foes of Brockton (May 3, 4 p.m.; May 8, 4 p.m.), Durfee (April 26, 4 p.m.; May 13, 2 p.m.) and Dartmouth (April 24, 4 p.m.; May 10, 4 p.m.).

Said Carrozza of the team's goal, “Have a strong beginning of the season so we can go further in the tournament than we did last year."

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Welch returns to headline B-R softball, a perennial postseason threat