WINDHAM, N.H. — In a key rivalry game Friday afternoon at Windham High, Salem High coach Haley Chandler confidently sent Michaela Dailey into the pitching circle.
Behind the dish resides Blue Devils senior Emersen Poulin. and Chandler knows the promising freshman pitcher is in very good hands.
“I am so spoiled. She is the brains of everything that happens on that mound. She does it all. She’s been doing it since she started catching for us her sophomore year,” said Chandler after her team dispatched the host Jaguars, 15-4. “In Emersen’s freshman year it was Bri Boucher (behind the plate). Bri handed it off to her, showed her patterns, what she likes to do, and Emersen was out there like a little sponge. and she’s been awesome for us … lights out.”
Poulin came into the program with plenty of promise, a key cog in a class that included standouts Jenny Olson and Addie Lucier.
Biding her time, she hit the ground running as a sophomore and hasn’t looked back since.
The work behind the plate is something Poulin prides herself on.
“It’s been fun. I love working with new pitchers. It’s one of my favorite parts of the game. I like working with them and calling my own pitches,” said Poulin.
This season presented a unique challenge for the Ithaca-bound backstop. With veteran Bailey Ruel injured, Poulin has been entrusted to nurture the newcomers like Dailey and junior Jaelyn Boretti.
“We’ve been learning what their goods and bads are through practice a lot. We throw bullpens almost every day, so we’re learning what they like to work with and their spins,” said Poulin.
So far, the results have been impressive.
“It’s incredibly important (to have her with such a young pitching staff). She’s been here for a while now. She knows what works,” said Chandler. “It also helps that a lot of these girls know each other. They know each other as hitters. She’s good at reading what her pitchers are throwing that is working and what they are throwing that is not. She’s really good at acting on that. She’ s super supportive and the pitchers love throwing to her, too.”
Poulin is thankful for every day she has with the team. The run at Salem ends this time around, though. and it’s brought a significance to this spring like none of the previous there.
The goal, of course, is to close it as it began, with a state title.
“It’s been really fun. I love working with the team. Every year, it’s been a fun group of girls,” Poulin said. “At least I’m continuing with college softball. But I’m going to miss it.”