Softball
Dave Dyer
If senior pitching ace Brooke Beaudet has her way, there is something good cooking for the Londonderry softball team this spring. She certainly believes the Lancers have the ingredients for the ultimate dish.
"It's the same this year as every year, to win the (Class L) championship," said Beaudet, who doubles as one of the state's most dangerous hitters. "I think we've got the defense, the hitting to get it done."
Beaudet is certainly doing her part for the 10-1 Lancers, who have only made the title game once, losing in 2001 to Salem. She is 5-1 on the mound with a 0.97 ERA, striking out 78 with only eight walks in 432/3 innings and she is hitting a robust .451 with five home runs and 23 RBIs.
If things don't work out quite the way Beaudet and her teammates want on the field, she'll be cooking up something else — in the kitchen. A connoisseur of good food, Beaudet will be attending Johnson and Wales next year to study culinary arts.
While Londonderry coach Wayne MacDougall, as well as her offseason pitching coach Harold Sachs of Salem, believe she could more than hold her own at a Division 1 school, she's content to play Division 3 so that she can pursue her career goals.
"She could play at a higher level for sure and be successful," said Sachs. "Brooke has a tremendous amount of God-given talent, both with a bat and in the pitching circle. She (also) has an outstanding work ethic. When you add into the mix that she is one of the nicest young ladies you could ever want to meet, it makes her a coach's dream.
"(But) athletes are students first. If pursuing her academic goals send her to a Division 3 school, so be it."
MacDougall heartily agrees. "She could play Division 1 or at least Division 2," he said. "She has the talent."
Beaudet appreciates the sentiments, but she's looking at the long-range picture.
"I get asked about this a lot, about playing at a higher level," said Beaudet. "The way I look at it is that I'm not going to make money playing softball. I want to do something that I enjoy that will lead to something."
Beaudet has been interested in cooking for as long as she can remember. Years ago, she decided she someday wanted to own a restaurant.
"My mom likes to cook but it started with my grandmother when I was little," said Beaudet. "I was always with her in the kitchen when she was cooking. We would live with her (in Laconia) in the summer and she just loved cooking. She would always ask us at breakfast what we wanted to eat for dinner.
"I kind of always knew what I wanted to do. I like cooking meals for a lot of people. I usually cook for my family two or three times a week."
Although Beaudet enjoys cooking a wide variety of food, her favorite is Italian, and she has her own specialty — penne ala vodka, which features a tasty creamy sauce.
Beaudet will continue to add to her menu in the future, but she's currently focusing on refining the ingredients needed to capture the Class L crown.
Gattuso headed to Phillips
Phillips Academy coach Peter Drench is a lucky guy. Either that, or he has some serious connections in North Reading.
Former Austin Prep All-Scholastic Michelle Hollebeke of North Reading has been his star pitcher for the last two years and next year he'll welcome North Reading High star Caroline Gattuso as a post-graduate. Already a two-time Eagle-Tribune All-Star, she led the Hornets to a Division 3 state championship last year, whiffing 15 in the final game.
"The thing I like about her is that she is such a competitor," said Drench. "She's all business out there."
Gattuso, who will receive a Phelps scholarship and was also accepted by Phillips Exeter and Deerfield, is just as enthusiastic about heading up the street to Phillips.
"I'm very excited about it," said Gattuso. "I think it's going to help me get into a better college and I wasn't ready to go away. I have three younger brothers and I like being around them. I'm a family person and it'll be nice to still be close to home for one more year."
In the meantime, Gattuso is enjoying another superb season for the 9-1 Hornets. Her strikeout ratio (78 strikeouts in 66 innings) is down a bit from last year, when she whiffed a school-record 232 batters in 157 innings to go along with a 0.58 ERA. She's not concerned, however, and she doesn't attribute it to the mound being moved back from 40 to 43 feet.
"I think it's more that I throw a lot of strikes and rarely walk anyone," said Gattuso, whose ERA is currently 0.96. "I think batters have figured that out so they're swinging at the first pitch more. I've been getting a ton of ground balls — a lot to shortstop — and that's fine with me."
She misses All-Scholastic catcher Stephanie Mayne, who is now playing at UMass Amherst, but her replacement, Mikaela Carney, is catching on quickly.
"I've thrown with her (Carney) before so it wasn't too bad of an adjustment," said Gattuso. "She's getting used to calling games by herself. I think she's doing a good job."
Gattuso believes the Hornets are "equally as good as last year. Without Steph (Mayne) and Jess (Scioli), are skills are a little different, but we have a lot of talent. I think we'll be tough to beat in the tournament."
After the tournament, Gattuso will begin to gear up for her year at Phillips, where she'll feel right at home when she's on the mound.
"I'm pretty sure my catcher (at Phillips) will be Sarah Onorato from North Reading," said Gattuso. "I already know her, so that'll be nice."
FAB 5
The Eagle-Tribune's weekly ranking of area softball teams:
Team%Record
1. Timberlane%10-1
2. Londonderry%10-1
3. North Reading%9-1
4. Methuen%8-2
5. Central Catholic%8-3
Honorable mention: Haverhill (7-2), Salem (8-3), Phillips Academy (7-3), North Andover (5-2)
Brooke Beaudet's Penne ala Vodka
1 Box Penne Pasta
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1/2 Cup Vodka
1 Can Whole, Peeled Tomatoes
11/2 Cup Tomato Sauce
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
Juice of 1 Lemon
Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Bring pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. In a large fry pan, on medium heat, add the olive oil. Chop the garlic and onion and add to the pan, cooking until the onion is soft. Once soft, add the vodka and allow 2 minutes for the alcohol to cook out. With clean hands, crush the tomatoes into small pieces and add to the fry pan. Stir in the tomato sauce. Allow to cook for 5 minutes then stir in the cream. Add the lemon juice and Parmesan cheese. Drain the cooked pasta and add into the fry pan to mix with the sauce. Add more cheese to the top then salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!
