HERMON, Maine — The Old Town High School softball team had its season opener against Hermon rained out on Thursday.
Even so, Old Town was able to get some exhibition games under its belt during a six-day trip to Orlando, Florida. The team returned home on Wednesday.
In Florida, the Coyotes played seven games against four Class A teams from southern Maine and posted a 4-3 record.
“Because of how the spring breaks fall, everybody (from other states) had already gone back (to school),” said fourth-year Old Town head coach Jenn Plourde. “It kind of stunk not to play anybody from a different state.”
The Coyotes faced four teams that finished in the top eight in the Western Maine Class A Heal Points last year: No. 1 Scarborough, No. 2 Thornton Academy of Saco (the regional titlist in 2014), No. 7 Biddeford and No. 8 Noble of North Berwick.
Plourde used the games to experiment with different lineups and to “get the girls as much playing time as possible.”
The entire trip cost approximately $25,000, according to Plourde, and the travel party included 12 players and four coaches. Old Town raised funds as a team.
Plourde said if enough money is raised by the team, each player’s cost is reduced. This year, they had to come up with $1,000 apiece.
The Coyotes stayed at the Disney All-Star Sports Resort and played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
“We get a lot out of it,” said senior pitcher Rachel Martin. “It was nice to be able to get on a field. There had been so much snow up here so we either played in the (Mahaney) Dome or the gym.
“It was hard (initially) to play in that heat because we aren’t used to it. But we got used to it very quickly,” she added.
The team visited many amusement parks and other venues.
“We got to learn more about each other and that makes us closer as a team,” said senior second baseman Kayla Madden. “It was really nice.”
Madden also said it was beneficial to play at such a nice facility.
“We were able to work on different things like diving after a ball,” said Madden. “It was nice to be outside rather than in a gym.”
The Coyotes have gone 67-11 over the past four seasons and lost just one starter off last year’s 17-1 team, which was upset in the EM semifinals by Hermon 6-4.
“This could be my best team,” Plourde said.
Third baseman Meaghan Leighton is the only starter who graduated and Plourde said junior Caitlyn King and sophomore Lauren Gasaway have filled the void at third, where freshman Mckenna Smith is also competing for the job.
Headlining the list of returnees is Martin, the Penobscot Valley Conference’s Class B Player and Pitcher of the Year last season. She will be the shortstop and may also play second base when she’s not pitching.
Junior Kayla Hayward returns at first, Madden is at second, junior Mikayla Richards is at shortstop when Martin pitches and King, Gasaway or Smith will be at third.
Lauren Martin, Rachel’s twin, will be back in left. Brittany Cousins is in center and Karah Hussey is the right fielder. All are seniors as is catcher Michaela Milton.
Hayward and King will get some innings in the circle and Plourde said they have a “great bench” that includes King, Smith, Brooke Sulinski and Natalie St. Louis.
“We still have things to work on and improve on but we’re going to be really strong,” said Rachel Martin.