Queens of Boston: Taunton High softball honored at Fenway Park for second straight year

BOSTON — Olivia Mendonca did not know what to expect during her senior season.

She was in the outfield last year when former ace Kelsey White recorded the final out of the 2021 Division I championship game against Wachusett, preserving the first perfect season in school history and sixth title in the program's history,

This year Mendonca took over the role as the top pitcher, and she described it as being stressful at times.

"I felt like I had big shoes to fill," she said.

But through it all, Mendonca created history, joining the likes of Adrienne (Leone) Fatzinger, Katlyn (Mallette) Gauthier, Erin (Wade) Hernandez, and White as Tigers pitchers who led their team to a state championship.

Not only that, the Taunton right-hander cemented the Tigers' first back-to-back state titles since the 2002-03 team.

"Yeah, it feels good," Mendonca said, smiling. "It was such a great opportunity. I still feel shocked because I did not think I would have [done] it either."

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For the second consecutive year, Mendonca and her Taunton teammates were honored at historic Fenway Park, on Saturday prior to the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays afternoon contest.

Tiger head softball coach Carrie Consalvi said it took every single player on the team to accomplish the goal of winning back-to-back titles. Despite losing the "Big 3" (White, McKenzie McAloon and Hanna Aldrich), Taunton (21-4) still had 10 players returning from the 2021 title team.

Mendonca said Consalvi brought a clipping of a Boston metropolitan newspaper playoff prediction to practice prior to the playoffs and showed the girls they were not even in the mix for a repeat.

"We were not even mentioned in the chase for the state championship," she said. "So we just went out and proved everybody wrong."

Mendonca, who was named a league all-star, posted a 14-1 record and a WHIP OF 1.083. She fanned 89 batters and walked 18 in 88.1 innings. At the plate, Mendonca batted .322 with 17 RBI. She plans on attending Framingham State.

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Her battery mate Kaycie Demoura was a stud all season long. She batted .547 with 45 hits, eight home runs and drove in 35 runs. Demoura had big hits in the playoffs, including two home runs in the semifinal win over Methuen.

First baseman Hayley Krockta and outfielder Angie Lynch had strong seasons and were named all-stars. Brooke Aldrich, Kyleah Plumb, Katherine Larson, Ashley Amaro and Kaitlyn Bizarro were some of the stars of the game.

Junior outfielder Ava Venturelli returned to the team after not playing in 2021. She batted .457 with a team-leading 10 home runs and 38 RBI.

Venturelli, who was named a Hockomock League honorable mention all-star, spoke about being at Fenway Park.

"I love Boston," said the University of Louisville commit. "My dad actually works here so I come here a lot. I want to live here when I'm older. It feels great and it was awesome to watch what everybody did last year. Just to be here now is amazing."

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Then there was the veteran presence of Taunton's Kylie Thorpe. The senior second baseman made headlines in the playoffs by belting a walk-off, two-out solo home run to lift the Tigers to a come-from-behind win over Bridgewater-Raynham in the Division I Round of 16.

"I feel like I played more of a part of this year's team than last year," Thorpe said. "During the middle of the season, I did not know how we were going to do. But then once we started to put it together I felt we had a chance."

As the girls took their place in the outfield dirt in front of the Green Monsters, there was nothing but smiles shining through the 90+ degree heat. They proved all the doubters wrong.

"I think even when we were at our lowest point, we never gave up," Venturelli said. "I think this is the best group of girls to do this with. We're losing a lot of girls but I think the younger girls will be able to step up."

Demoura had this bold prediction after being honored at Fenway Park.

"We're going to three-peat," she smiled.

Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette sports editor Steven Sanchez can be reached at ssanchez@heraldnews.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Chezsports. 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 High softball honored at Fenway Park for second straight year