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05/18/2022 12:00 AMEver since Annie Goodrich was a child, she’s always had a love for baseball and softball. Annie grew up watching the Boston Red Sox, and that love for the diamond inspired Annie to compete for her local Little League softball teams.
Now a junior at Daniel Hand High School, Annie is the starting first baseman for the Hand softball team this spring. Annie is an integral part of a squad that has a record of 9-7 and is gearing up to participate in the playoffs.
“I have been playing softball since I was six years old. I played in Madison Little League and grew up watching my older brothers play baseball,” says Annie. “That all inspired me to want to try to the sport.”
Annie has recorded 10 RBI for the Tigers thus far this season. The junior recently had a big week by hitting at more than a .500 clip with 4 RBI last week.
“We are performing really well this year. We really came together as a team,” Annie says. “We have already made it into the postseason, and we hope to go far.”
Head Coach Mike Ferraiolo praises Annie for bringing a tremendous amount of energy to each practice and every game. Ferraiolo says that Annie plays her heart out, but also knows how to keep things fun and relaxed for everyone.
“Annie walks into our dugout all the time with a huge smile on her face that is infectious. She is a fierce competitor, a two-sport varsity athlete, and is just an amazing person,” says Ferraiolo. “Annie knows when it’s time for business and knows when it’s time for fun as she is our team DJ and you can sometimes find her doing her signature dance move, ‘the worm.’ Annie has worked extremely hard this season and is one of the best first baseman in the league.”
Annie credits Coach Ferraiolo for helping the Tigers grow close during the skipper’s first year as head coach. In turn, Ferraiolo says that Annie is making all the difference in the team’s success this year.
“Even though Coach Ferraiolo became the head coach this year, we have quickly built a strong relationship with him,” Annie says. “Coach Ferraiolo teaches us the importance of hard work and teamwork, and we’ve had a great season because of him.”
One of Annie’s favorite moments of the 2022 season came when Hand claimed a 9-8 road win over North Haven in a thrilling contest on May 3.
“It was a back-and-forth game with multiple home runs from both teams,” Annie says. “At the end of the game, we came together as a team and got the win.”
On top of softball, Annie is also a member of the Hand girls’ basketball team. This winter, Annie helped the Tigers have an outstanding season that featured 22 victories and an appearance in the Class MM state semifinals. Annie enjoys playing team sports because of all the relationships that she’s been able to form with her cohorts.
“I love playing team sports,” says Annie. “The connections and friendships that can be built by playing a team sport is one of my favorite things.”
Annie is constantly working at becoming the best version of herself both on and off the field. Annie spends a lot of time in the batting cages perfecting her swing and can also be found working hard in the gym to increase her overall strength.
“I put in work outside of practice, both on my physical strength and the mechanics to my swing,” Annie says. “I just want to keep getting better, and I feel like I’ve come a long way.”
Hand has three regular-season games remaining before the team dives into the playoff fray. Annie can’t wait to hit the diamond for the Tigers in the postseason.
“I think we are capable of achieving a lot this season,” says Annie. “We all want to win and work very well together. So, we will see what happens. I’m excited to see where the rest of the year takes us.”