Conant softball coach Wiley Billings has always been a rare breed, but now it’s official, as the Oriole skipper is one of the few people worldwide to contract COVID-19 twice.
“My doctor said ‘You’re a lucky man,’ ” joked Billings.
Billings initially caught the novel coronavirus during basketball season, forcing his Wilton-Lyndeborough boys to take a 12-day hiatus; this April, Billings tested positive again, and the Orioles shut down on April 7, missing 10 days of preseason and putting them on the field for Tuesday’s opener against WLC with only four practices behind them.
“We’re behind the eight ball,” Billings said.
Contracting COVID twice is rare, but not unheard of, a recent study published in Lancet found. For the second time around, Billings’ COVID symptoms were mild, he said, aside from the splitting sinus headaches that have persisted since his first bout. But they haven’t affected him while he’s coaching, he said, and his Oriole girls relieved some pressure Tuesday by running up the score early on Wilton-Lyndeborough and finishing with a 17-2 win.
The defending Division IV champion Warriors haven’t seen the field since winning the big one in 2019; the Warriors only return three players – Abby Dowling, Tiffany Cuddihy and Madison Raymond – from that championship team. They’ve got a new coach, too, in Scott Dowling, who assisted Denny Claire in his final season and was prepared to take the reins in 2020 before the season was called off. Some growing pains are expected, especially early on, and they’ve presented themselves; between Monday’s season-opening 15-13 loss at Hinsdale and Tuesday’s game, the Warriors have already given up 31 runs in two games this season. But, they’re a promising young team, with only one senior, Cuddihy, set to graduate.
“As inexperienced as we are, we certainly bring a lot of positivity every day to practice,” Dowling said. “They show up, they’re hungry to learn, they listen, they’re eager.”
The Warriors never gave up against their Division III opponent Tuesday evening, despite falling behind early and losing by the 12-run rule. WLC got a smattering of hits off Conant starter Becca Thibaudeau, scoring a run in the second inning on a Raymond single that scored Ryleigh Smith and then again in the fifth on an Ella Morris single that scored Raymond. But Conant was able to put together a good offensive start against Emily Dubois, who held her own on the mound but surrendered four earned runs, four hits and seven walks while striking out three; WLC made six errors and gave up nine unearned runs.
“We’re going to have some games like this,” Dowling said. “We could have a lot of games like this, but it’s what we learn from these games and what those girls can take out of it. And if they can stay positive, it’s going to make them what they are at the end of this year.”
Conant got a solid pitching performance from Thibaudeau, a senior who returned to the Orioles this year after time at St. Bernard’s; Thibaudeau went five innings with just one walk, three hits, a strikeout and two earned runs. When she’s not on the mound, Billings can turn to Kaylee Karns or Graecen Kirby to create a nice triumvirate of Oriole arms. Kirby got the bats going for Conant Tuesday; with older sister Teagan Kirby out, along with Chelsea Dupuis, Graecen sparked the offense with a two-RBI single in the first; she finished 2-4 with three RBI and a triple. Mylie Aho (2-4, 2 RBI), Heather Gonyea (1-3, 2 RBI), Bella Hayes, Thibaudeau and Tessa Spingola all drove in runs for the Orioles.
“Once we get going and the girls get the timing and all that, and we get into some practices, I think we’re going to be okay,” Billings said.
Conant (1-0) is at Keene Friday at 4:30 p.m.
WLC didn’t have much going offensively Tuesday, but they had plenty to report from Monday’s wild game at Hinsdale, which the Warriors lost 15-13.
“Abby Dowling and Bri Fish did a great job at the plate, and those two as well as Ryleigh Smith did a fantastic job defensively,” coach Dowling said.
Fish drove in seven runs with a triple and an error-free inside-the-park home run; Abby Dowling had two triples and five stolen bases, and Smith had a single, a double and three stolen bases.
The Warriors (0-2) are home against Hinsdale Friday at 4 p.m.
Mascenic 6, Monadnock 5
Blaine Krook knocked home the winning run with a seventh-inning double for Mascenic to cap a late comeback Tuesday at Monadnock.
The Vikings trailed 4-3 entering the final inning before Shea Zina was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on a Hayes Pearson (2-3, 2 RBI) single. Wyatt Duval pinch-ran and scored on the Krook double.
Zina started and went six innings, giving up two earned runs on four hits and five walks while striking out nine. Joe Cocozella closed out the seventh, striking out one.
Sean Agonis (2-3) and Michael Ferrulo (2-4) drove in Mascenic’s other runs.
The Vikings (2-0) host Monadnock Thursday at 4 p.m.
Sanborn 7, ConVal 2
Eric Stapelfeld was strong on the mound again for C onVal Tuesday, but the Cougars gave up five unearned runs over his 4.1 innings on their way to a second straight loss to open the season.
“As a young team, we are making mistakes,” head coach Matt Harris said, “but the best part is we aren’t making the same mistakes twice.”
Ollie Theriault closed out the game, giving up two runs over 2.2 innings.
Austin Sloan, Austin Knight, Joe Gutwein and Zack Boyd had hits for ConVal.
The Cougars (0-2) are at Sanborn Saturday.
WLC 4, Hinsdale 0
The Brennan brothers had the Pacers seeing double as the twins combined for a one-hit shutout of Hinsdale on Monday to start out the Wilton-Lyndeborough baseball season w ith a 4-0 win. Ty Collins, Alex Balusek, Ty Bacci and Jacob Phillips led the offense, new head coach Tom Brennan said after the game.
Troy Brennan started on the mound and struck out the side in the first inning; Sean Brennan closed out the game and struck out the side in the seventh as the two combined for 11 Ks.
Hinsdale has now gone 14 innings this season with just one hit after starting their season being no-hit by Mascenic’s Shea Zina.
WLC (1-0) hosts Hinsdale Friday at 4 p.m.
Mascenic 4, Monadnock 3
The Vikings jumped out to an early lead, got out of a middle-innings jam, and then held off a late Husky push to beat Monadnock on the road Tuesday.
Lyla Buxton got the win on the mound, going the distance and striking out 10 while walking none; she pitched her way out of a “huge” bases-loaded, no outs jam in the third inning, head coach Dutch Stauffeneker said.
Ella Pearson had two big hits for the Vikings.
“It was a really good win versus a good team,” Stauffeneker said.
Mascenic (2-0) has Monadnock at home Thursday.
ConVal 10, Monadnock 4
ConVal got back on the field after their two-year layoff and started out with a win under new head coach Terry McNamara.
The Huskies came out in a zone defense and forced the Cougars to adapt right away, McNamara said.
“We kind of had to improvise our offensive strategy but the boys picked it up fast,” he said.
Senior Griffin Filaski led with four goals; senior David Martin added another; freshman face-off specialist Ronan McNamara had four goals and freshman Colin Pellettieri the other.
Keeper Nicholas Squatitro was “absolutely lights out,” posting a 90 percent save percentage; ConVal held Monadnock to two goals until replacing the starting defense late in the game.
McNamara said senior Austin Davis was superb at short stick defensive midfield, and captain Alex Heck ran the defense, cleared the ball, and made some nice takeaways.
ConVal (1-0) hosts Lebanon Thursday at 4 p.m.