Myla Mexico ’27 sets up at bat against dominant performance against Exeter.
This past week, Girls Softball (6-2) picked up two consecutive victories, defeating Concord-Carlisle on Thursday and closing out with a dominant win over rival Exeter this Wednesday. With standout performances from both veteran players and underclassmen, the team continues to build momentum heading into the latter half of the season.
Against Concord-Carlisle, Andover secured a hard-fought win in a game marked by strong communication, key offensive plays, and dependable pitching. While the team acknowledged some early struggles at the plate, their ability to adapt ultimately led to the victory. Catcher Gaby Potter ’27 emphasized the team’s resilience in the matchup.
“I believe the team’s performance went well. Defensively, we weren’t as solid as we usually are, but we definitely did a great job of getting outs and keeping the ball in front. Offensively, at first we struggled to get bat on the ball, but we had some great base running that led to our overall win,” said Potter.
Potter highlighted Audrey Gotha ’28 for her pitching performance, and noted that Emerson Buckley ’25 and Angie Ceballos Cardona ’25 made strong contributions offensively.
“The outfield did a great job with communication. Some balls were hit into the gaps, but the outfielders did a great job taking charge and calling the ball. That can be difficult during a game, but communication is crucial,” said Potter
Co-captain Madison Hugo ’25 also reflected on the Concord-Carlisle matchup, acknowledging that while the offense wasn’t at its strongest, the team’s defense held steady.
“That game wasn’t our best game. We definitely didn’t do as well offensively as we would have hoped, but defensively, we did really well. Audrey pitched well, and Ashley had a double, that was really awesome. It was her first at-bat back since her injury,” said Hugo.
Following the narrow win on Thursday, Andover returned to the field the following Wednesday for their highly anticipated Senior Day game against Exeter. The team showed up with confidence and energy, quickly jumping ahead and finishing the game with a commanding 12–4 victory in just five innings.
“It was awesome. We won 12 to 4 in the fifth inning. Emerson Buckley hit a home run during the game, and yeah, it was a lot of fun,” said Hugo.
Buckley’s first-inning home run helped set the tone early in the game. With Exeter taking a 1–0 lead in the top of the first, Buckley responded in the bottom half with a blast that tied the score and gave the team momentum.
“It was the first inning. We had just gone out in the field and they had scored a run, and then Emerson hit the home run, and we were tied 1–1. It was just really good. A great way to kick off our Senior Day game,” said Hugo.
Potter also made significant contributions in the Exeter game, having two doubles while playing behind the plate as catcher.
“Gaby Potter had two doubles today. She’s also our catcher, and she did great behind the plate,” said Hugo.
Reflecting on the team’s offensive turnaround from the previous game, Hugo noted how Andover adapted to Exeter’s slower pitching.
“I think we hit especially well today. They had slower pitching that we haven’t really been used to with teams we’ve been playing recently, but everyone adjusted pretty well. We had some really good hits,” said Hugo.
As for the rest of the season, both players are looking forward to continued improvement and time spent with teammates.
“I look forward to spending more time and playing with my teammates. They’re a really great group of girls and I love playing with them, they make softball so much fun,” said Potter
Girls Softball will travel to Worcester this Saturday.
