Monomoy Softball Extends Win Streak To 10 In A Row

The Monomoy softball team had a lot of conversations after it suffered an 8-0 loss to Falmouth on April 10 in Harwich. The Sharks didn’t want to lose again, so they emphasized the importance of bringing energy to the ballpark, both on the bench and in the field.

“We were texting in the group chat like, ‘This can’t happen again,’” said Willa Leighton, a sophomore from Brewster.

Although the loss snapped Monomoy’s perfect start, it served as the perfect reset for the team. The Sharks haven’t lost since, as they extended their win streak to 10 in a row following an 8-2 win at Nauset on Friday and a 4-3 victory over Cardinal Spellman on Monday.

Monomoy coach Stacy Yarnall said the key to the team’s 13-1 start has been the players’ energy and chemistry.

“The energy was lacking a little bit today — I’m not sure if it was the weather or what — but chemistry-wise, they’ve been picking it up,” Yarnall said after the Nauset win. “They know that we want to increase our seed in the power rankings for the tournament, and we’ve been playing really great softball, which is great.”

On Friday, it was Leighton, a former Nauset student, that helped the team push its streak to nine. The sophomore went 3-for-5 with two triples and a pair of RBIs in addition to striking out eight in a complete-game pitching performance.

“I think what makes me most comfortable on the mound is knowing my defense,” Leighton said. “I know how amazing they are and they have my back. I know if a ball gets hit, it most likely won’t go into the outfield so I can rely on them and just pitch.”

Senior catcher AJ Gates said she was impressed with the pitching she saw from Leighton, who has pitched alongside junior Alana Lojko and eighth-grader Kinsey Lister this spring.

“It’s awesome to see some of the younger girls like Willa and Kensie,” said Gates, a Harwich resident who twice reached base safely against Nauset with a triple and a walk. “They’ve really stepped it up and continued our winning streak even when Alana isn’t pitching. It’s good to see that for the future, too.”

As the Sharks prepare for their last six regular season games, Gates said the impact of the Falmouth loss has helped the team remain focused regardless of the game situation, a winning formula that has helped fuel the streak.

“We definitely have more energy when we’re up, but we’ve gotten a lot better at creating energy even when we’re down and that leads to putting more hits together,” she said.