DOVER — If you minimize the sport of softball to the simplest degree, it's hitting the ball and attempting to keep the opposing team from doing the same.
Obviously it's not that simple and much more complex, but Dover High School head coach Melvin Torres said the reason he believes Dover has the chance to be good this year and return to the Division I tournament is because of the abundance of pitching, albeit it young.
"The last couple of years, we were lacking pitching," said Torres, who is in this third season as head coach. "(This year is different.)"
And who exactly are the players who added to the pitching depth that gives Torres confidence this spring?
The trio — all freshmen — are Sierra Hutchinson, Jenna Martel and Kaitlyn Jolicouer. All three have seen time in the circle in Dover's first three games.
"They throw pretty hard," Torres said. "They're throwing strikes and keeping the defense on their toes."
Martel was a little nervous before the season opener, thinking she would be pitching to mainly seniors and that players in general would have more experience than her. But that changed when the game started.
"Honestly, it's just the fun (of pitching) that keeps me going," Martel said. "The positivity, and just the love and bond we all have. All three of us each offer something different. Each of us attack batters differently, so it helps us all in different ways."
"We're all pretty close," Hutchinson said of the relationship she has with Martel and Jolicouer. "We're always cheering each other on, and it really just keeps a positive attitude. Even if one of us is not doing our best that day, we always pick each other up and keep each other going."
Dover won just two games last year, four games in 2022, and hasn't qualified for the playoffs since going 6-9 in 2021.
But, with its pitching, Dover is expected to begin to trend upwards in 2024. After a season-opening 15-9 loss at Merrimack, the Green Wave have won two straight - 22-0 at Nashua North on Monday and a 23-4 home-opening win over Bedford on Tuesday.
"(Pitching) is important, because (Division I) is pretty competitive," Torres said. "When you are facing good teams, you have to have the pitching; you have to change the pitcher every two or three innings. That way you can change the balance of the other team at the plate, and have them looking for something different."
Martel said she likes to approach batters with her "little fastball," which sets up her off-speed pitch.
"And then I throw in some screwballs right in there, and to try and get them on my changeup, too," Martel said.
Hutchinson said the batter dictates how she wants to attack.
"I like to see where they set up," Hutchinson said. "I like knowing where they usually hit, and if they're a strong hitter. Where they are in the lineup really gives a background on the hitter, and where you want to put (the ball)."
Torres said all three are special in their own ways, have different pitches and give different looks to opposing teams.
"Especially with Jolicouer being a lefty," Torres said. "She comes in between the two righties (Martel and Hutchinson), it's a good mix."
In Tuesday's win over Bedford, Jolicouer started and came out strong, sitting down the first two batters on just four pitches, and in a 3-2 count, she went off-speed to get the batter out in front for an inning-ending strikeout.
In the second, and with help from the defense, Jolicouer was able to escape a bases-loaded, one-out jam. The lefty blew a fastball right by the Bedford batter for the second out, and then forced an unassisted groundout to first to get out of the inning.
Jolicouer struck out four in four innings, earning the win.
"She looked great," Torres said of Jolicoeur's start. "She was a little tired in the last inning, but she battled ... she was locating the pitches and executing."
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