The Bangor High School softball team has a lot of the same players it had a year ago when the fourth-seeded Rams went 12-6, losing to top seed Skowhegan 12-0 in the Class A North semifinals after beating fifth seed Lewiston 2-1 in the quarterfinals.
But two of them have made the move from the outfield to the left side of the infield to fill the void left by the departure of talented shortstop Emma Payne and third baseman Megan Conner, who graduated.
Junior Madi Drake, the starting center fielder a year ago, is now the third baseman and sophomore Rowan Andrews, who was the left fielder, is the shortstop.
“Madi looks like she has been a third baseman since T-ball and Rowan has been very smooth at shortstop,” said 13-year head coach Don Stanhope.
The Rams also have a new second baseman in John Bapst High of Bangor transfer Gabby Gonzales, who is also a pitcher.
The fleet-footed Gonzales is going to be the Rams’ lead-off hitter.
“We’re athletic and we’re young,” said Stanhope. “But the kids are young age-wise but they have experience.
They will have some new starters in senior left fielder Pallas Hammer-Nagle and sophomore center fielder Cambria Prophete, who are taking over from Andrews and Drake.
Seniors Lindy Bezgembluk and Lexi Cunningham return at first and right field and Cunningham will also pitch.
Cunningham, a lefty, emerged as the ace of the pitching staff over the second half of the season and Morgan-Carter Moulton is back after throwing a lot of innings as a freshman.
Cunningham beat Lewiston in the quarterfinals, tossing 6 ⅔ innings of four-hit, one-run ball.
Moulton will be the Rams’ starting catcher when she isn’t pitching and Stanhope said she is an outstanding catcher.
The fourth member of the pitching staff is junior Makenzie Thompson, another lefty.
Stanhope said Cunningham, Moulton, Gonzales and Thompson all worked with well-respected Ellsworth-based pitching coach Rick Roberts.
Moulton is stronger and has more pace and spin on her ball which has led to more confidence, according to Stanhope. Cunningham has very good mound presence and doesn’t get rattled and Gonzales is a hard thrower.
Stanhope likes his lineup and expects his team to be able to score runs with the likes of Gonzales, Drake, Moulton, Bezgembluk, Andrews and Cunningham at the top of the order.
“They can all hit for power,” said Stanhope.
Sophomore Jordyn Miller has shown promise at the plate and will be the designated player. Junior Emma Guernsey will catch when Moulton pitches.
Stanhope said he has been encouraged by what he has seen in the preseason and expects his coachable, close-knit team to be very competitive.
“We need them to be able to compete for all seven innings without taking a few innings off,” said Stanhope whose Rams open at Lewiston on Wednesday at 1.
Follow BDN Maine Sports on Facebook for the latest in Maine high school and college sports.