At 12-1 in league play, the Gloucester softball team cruised to a Northeastern Conference Lynch Division crown this spring.
Two standouts on the team helped pave the way for that success, and now they have been honored by the league for their stellar contributions.
Emma Carrapichosa, a junior first baseman, and Abby Noble, a freshman pitcher, were both named to the NEC All-Conference team as announced by the league on Thursday.
Despite missing some time down the regular season stretch, Carrapichosa, who’s healthy now, hit over .500 this year (by far a team-best), mashing five homers and driving in 19 runs in the process. Those marks were superior to her equally incredible sophomore stats last spring, a year when she was also named to the NEC All-Conference team.
Noble, meanwhile, quickly established herself as one of the top pitchers the area has to offer. She struck out nearly 200 batters (she has a good chance to surpass that milestone in the playoffs) and boasted an ERA under 3.00.
Noble was head coach Bryan Aiello’s go-to starter all year long and delivered with some phenomenal performances, including a nine-inning, no-hit gem against rival Marblehead. She was one of just two freshman named All-Conference, joining Masconomet’s Logan Schaap.
In addition, Gloucester had three players named Lynch Division all-stars: senior second baseman Ava Paone, sophomore catcher Olivia Madruga, and sophomore shortstop Mackayla Allen. Madruga held the team’s second best batting average (.407) and has been exceptional behind the plate; Paone consistently got on base and leads the team in runs scored; and Allen was a standout defensively while coming up with some clutch at bats throughout the year.
Gloucester (16-4) will host the winner of Medfield and Boston Latin Academy on Sunday at 2 p.m. in a Division 3 Round of 32 clash.