WORCESTER—The undefeated Jesse Burkett 12U all-star softball team has been in perfect sync through 10 games this summer. A core group of players have not skipped a beat during their last four dominant seasons together.
On July 14, Burkett shut out Canton, 4-0, at Borgatti Field in Agawam to capture its second consecutive 12U state championship. The team advances to the New England regional which will be held in Bristol, Connecticut July 21-26. Burkett will represent Massachusetts and square off against Vermont in their opening round game on Sunday, July 21 at 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast live by ESPN+.
Every time Burkett takes the field, both the players and their fans are in perfect unison. After warming up each inning, the infielders gather and shout “Three up!” The outfielders respond with “Three down!” Then their fans finish off the chant with a chorus of “Nobody gets around!”
“It’s fun,” remarked Burkett head coach Kerin Smith. “Even our opponents get impressed with our coordination.”
Not many teams have been able to “get around” on Burkett this season. The team is a perfect 10-0 and has outscored its opponents 110-11. In its first three games of the state tournament, Burkett defeated Canton 9-3; Chicopee 8-2; and Saugus 15-0.
The quartet of Jocelyn Baumann, Sophia D’Andrea, Sophia Delvalle and Mady Smith has played together on the all-star team for the last four years. This group has won four consecutive state championships and four straight District 4 championships in 10U and 12U play. Many of these 12-year-olds have been together since they were eight or nine years old.
D’Andrea, Delvalle, Smith and Mya Domineck form a dynamic four-way pitching rotation that has limited opponents to just over one earned run per game.
On the offensive side, Burkett is hitting over .400 as a team, led by Domineck (.615), Sofia Rogers (.571), Amaiya Febles (.455), Jailyn Buccico (.450), D’Andrea (.438) and Leah Becker (.409). Smith leads the team with 11 RBI.
“This group really meshes together and they really look out for each other,” said Smith. “They’re a bunch of sisters almost.”
Smith attributes the success of the last four years to a combination of teamwork between the players, coaches and parents. A strong sense of community exists in Worcester when it comes to youth softball.
“We have so many athletes that are willing to put in the work,” acknowledged Smith, who has been coaching softball for seven years. “It’s great to have the support within the city from the parents and the coaches and the little leagues. Everybody is working together to really improve these girls.”
In Worcester, the team has a special place to play in Bob Rousseau Field at Vernon Hill Park. The impeccable field was named in honor of Bob Rousseau earlier this spring recognizing his 20 years as manager of the facility. Rousseau, Smith’s father, puts in countless hours maintaining the field so that softball players in the city have an incredible venue for their games. Burkett defeated Rutland 10-0 at Bob Rousseau Field on June 25 to capture the District 4 championship.
With a group of experienced and battle-tested players, Burkett looks to continue its winning ways in the New England regional next weekend.
“Looking at this team on paper, the talent that we’ve got in these 12 girls is insane,” said Smith.
Team members are: Jocelyn Baumann, Leah Becker, Jailyn Buccico, Sophia D’Andrea, Sophia Delvalle, Mya Domineck, Amaiya Febles, Annie Friend, Sofia Rogers, Khloe Siergie, Sophia Carrero and Mady Smith.
Mike Vigneux is a freelance writer in Worcester with more than 20 years of experience in the fields of municipal government, communications, and public relations. An avid fan of all sports, Mike enjoys telling the stories of local athletes and their teams. He holds two degrees from Clark University, a bachelor of arts in Communication and a master of science in Professional Communication. He can be reached at Mikevigs@gmail.com
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