The Londonderry High School softball team is heading into the 2025 season in unfamiliar ground, after winning the state championship in 2024, the team will be looking to defend their title with the loss of just two players.
The departure of seniors Olivia Cutuli and Zoey Nelson will be leaving a big hole in the line-up, but the Lancers will have many of the players that helped achieve a 20-2 season and the school’s first-ever Division I Championship back, giving the team a huge advantage this season.
Junior Elizabeth Kearney will be pitching again this season after being named as an All-State First Team player as a sophomore and winning two of the three 2024 playoff games.
Last year, the Londonderry squad put an exclamation point on their 20-2 season by beating the B.G. Cardinals 12-0 in five innings for the Division I title on June 8, at Plymouth State University.
It was a complete team-effort win, with sophomore Kearney and Cutuli combining efforts in the circle on a two-hitter, while striking out eight. Kearney threw for four innings, getting the win and striking out seven batters, with just one hit.
Then freshman, Addie Browning, who will also be returning, went 4-4 at the title game, with three RBIs, and Ginny Flaherty had two hits, including a triple in the bottom of the fifth to drive in the final run of the game.
The Lancers got into the 2024 finals by narrowly beating Pinkerton Academy 2-1, in the final inning.
Kearney got the win against PA, striking out 16 batters and giving up two hits with a walk.
Other players making up the 2025 team are: Addie Browning, Alison Chambers, Allyson Burgess, Abby Austen, Riley Campo, Shannon Crowley, Makenzie Daneau, Mady Normand, Addison Martinez, Paige Secor, Jen Raza and Sadie Moore.
In a pre-season game against Tyngsboro head coach David Johnson had four girls pitching with Kearney going three innings, striking out all nine batters and helping take a 6-0 win. Austin, Burgess and Secor also pitched, combining for nine Ks, two hits and three walks.
At the plate, Moore had two homeruns and Martinez had two hits. Campo put up a double in the victory.
The team’s first gameof the 2025 spring season is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 14, at Salem High School against the Blue Devils.
The Lancers home-opener is planned for Wednesday, April 16, starting at 4 p.m.