By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
MELROSE—Two members of the Melrose High girls’ softball team were named to the Middlesex League Freedom Division All-Star team this season. The two Melrose players to make the team are senior captains Ava Viola and Maggie Turner.
For Viola, a first baseman, it is her third year in a row on the All Star team. She hit .300 with an on-base percentage of .364 to lead the team in both categories. She was third in runs scored (ten) and in runs batted in (nine). She also had three steals.
“Offensively, she was our best hitter,” said Melrose assistant coach Frank Sorrenti. “Se was a very dependable player.”
It is the first time on the All Star team for Turner. She hit .289 with a .356 on-base percentage, which was second on the team. She was also second in runs scored with 12 and tied Viola in with nine RBI. Turner also led the team in steals with 11.
“She was a good leader with a little edge to her,” said Sorrenti, about the center fielder. “She also did a great job in center as she covered a lot of ground.”
After going win-less last season at 0-19, Melrose finished 2-17 this spring. Both wins came against Watertown as Melrose went 2-1 against the Raiders.
One of the wins was a non-league one as Melrose was 1-7 in the ML Liberty division. They were 0-6 against the Middlesex Freedom division schools and 1-4 in non-league contest.
Melrose will return a good amount of underclassmen in 2026. They graduate just four seniors, which includes Viola and Turner and fellow seniors Lucy O’Neill and Riley Jones.