The Belfast Area High School softball team has continued its dramatic rise this season.
After posting their first winning season since 2011 last year, Kevin Gray’s Lions have gone from a 12-4 team to a 15-1 club this spring entering the Class B North playoffs.
Gray took over as the head coach in 2023 and guided the Lions to an 8-8 campaign after the previous two teams had gone a combined 3-29. Last year’s 12 wins were the most in a season for Belfast since 2007.
The team had a four-win improvement last year and a three-victory elevation this season.
“We only lost one senior off last year’s team, Gabby Hoffman, and it’s basically the same group of girls I’ve been coaching since they were eight years old, pretty much,” said Gray. “It’s all about hard work.”
The entire team has been willing to learn and put the necessary effort in along the way, he said.
“The bats have been hot this year. Defensively, we’re pretty solid all the way around. My outfield has really stepped to the front this year. Last year we had little issues with that but we’ve tightened that up,” said Gray.
In the circle, Gray had a very good two-pitcher rotation a year ago with Jordyn MacKay and Emma Tripp. Tripp transferred to Bangor and has helped lead the Rams to a 10-win improvement in Class A North.
But MacKay, a junior, has thrived as the solo starter.
Belfast has averaged 7.3 runs per game and given up 1.75.
Its only loss was to Class A contender Camden Hills of Rockport, 2-1, and the Lions will take a nine-game winning streak into the playoffs.
This is the first time the Lions have been at least 10 games over .500 since the 2002 team went 13-3.
The Lions’ leading hitter is junior center fielder Katience Parenteau, who is hitting .593. MacKay is at .533 with a team-high three homers. Junior left fielder Sophia Larrabee is at .439 and first baseman Danica Gray is hitting .383.
Gray is the team’s only senior and is Kevin Gray’s daughter.
Junior third baseman Gracie Moore is a .333 hitter followed by junior second baseman Maggie Metcalf at .324 and sophomore catcher Kloe Luce at .320.
Junior Isabella Bailey and sophomore Kaitlyn Ryan share the shortstop position depending on who is swinging the hotter bat and junior Laura Carpenter is the right fielder.
The runs-batted-in leaders are Parenteau and MacKay with 24 apiece. Luce has 16, Metcalf has 12 and Moore and Gray have 11 each.
Parenteau has scored a team-high 27 runs with Gray at 23. MacKay has scored 18, Larrabee has scored 16 times and Metcalf has crossed the plate 13 times.
Gray is the lead-off hitter followed by Parenteau, MacKay, Moore, Luce, Carpenter, Larrabee, Bailey or Ryan and Metcalf.
MacKay has 10 doubles and three triples and Parenteau has six doubles and two triples.
In the circle, MacKay is 14-1 with a 1.18 earned-run average and 135 strikeouts and only 26 walks in 88 ⅔ innings.
She is a power pitcher with a live fastball who has also worked on her riseball which has “come in pretty handy” according to Gray. She also has a curve and will occasionally throw a changeup.
“She has been hitting her spots,” said Gray, who noted that MacKay has gotten better every year.
Sophomores River Seekins and Autumn Reed-Hall are pitchers and another sophomore, Jaedyn Brady, is a second baseman. Junior Natalie Barrows is an outfielder.
Emma Richard and B.J. Moore are Gray’s assistants.
The Lions have lost in the quarterfinals the last two years and are looking for that first playoff win this season.
“We’re excited. We’re thrilled with the way the season has gone so far,” said Gray who was part of a group that established a Waldo County softball program for girls several years ago.
“Now it’s playoff time. Now is when it really counts,” said Gray.
