Gatorade named Maine’s Players of the Year in softball and baseball last week, recognizing freshman Addison DeRoche of Cheverus (Portland) and senior Caleb Vacchiano of Sacopee Valley (Cornish).
DeRoche and Vacchiano have dominated as both pitchers and hitters this spring, guiding their teams to the No. 2 seed and regional final berths in Class A South and Class C South, respectively.
DeRoche made statewide news in early May by striking out 50 batters and allowing just three base runners through her first 20 innings of work — the righty has not slowed down since then.
By the end of the regular season, DeRoche had compiled an oppressive 0.12 ERA with 137 strikeouts through 16 games (57 innings), pitching three no-hitters and allowing just 12 total base runners. Meanwhile, DeRoche batted .553 with three home runs and 24 RBI, recording an astounding on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of 1.745.
The 5-foot-9 Westbrook native is ranked as the nation’s seventh-best softball prospect in the Class of 2027 according to Extra Innings Softball, and has been scouted by multiple college teams in the Big Ten and Southeastern Conferences.
DeRoche is Cheverus’ first ever Gatorade Softball Player of the Year, and has led the Stags to an 18-0 record, one season after finishing 9-9.
“She’s humble, mature and dedicated,” said Portland head coach Jason McLeod. “I don’t see much of anything that phases her when she plays. That includes any special schemes or tricks that teams or coaches might attempt when batting against her or pitching to her. She is not phased by any of it. Moreso, she is prepared for it.”
Vacchiano is a power-hitting shortstop and right-handed pitcher committed to playing at the University of Maine on scholarship next fall.
Vacchiano batted .476 with four home runs and 16 RBI through 15 games this season, manufacturing an OPS of 1.518. On the mound, he had a 1.31 ERA and 35 strikeouts with just five walks in 26.2 innings pitched.
The 5-foot-11 Mr. Maine Baseball finalist has led the Hawks to the Class C South regional championship game for two consecutive seasons, hitting .635 with an impressive nine homers last year. Sacopee finished with an 18-1 record last year, and has a 14-4 record so far this spring.
“He’s a top-one-percent elite hitter at our level,” said Waynflete head coach Paul Grazia. “He would be wildly successful at any level of Maine high school baseball. During our games, we are fully prepared to intentionally walk him every single time, regardless of situation. When we don’t, I instantly regret it. He hit a game-tying home run in the [regional] semifinal against us last year and the go-ahead home run against us in the regular season this year.”
