Saratoga Catholic Softball Returns In 2023 With An Eye On Sectionals

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic varsity softball team enters 2023 on a mission. The Saints did not field a varsity team last season, but have their eyes set on a sectional appearance this year.

“It’s a young group, but I think a very talented group,” said head coach John Dowd. “We’re up in the varsity waters, so we’ll see what happens. But I’m expecting good things.”

The Saints are led by junior catcher and team captain Ryan McDonald, who homered in a season-opening loss to Tamarac on April 5. Dowd also said the team will feature a strong pitching trio of Grace Schaefer, Hailey Ogniewski, and Paige Bujno.

“Our pitching, although it’s young, we have three very good pitchers,” Dowd said. “All travel pitchers.”

“I think the team is definitely really young, but I think we’re strong,” said McDonald. “Coming up, I think we’re going to be pretty good this year.”

Dowd said that while the team has a very young lineup, with no seniors on the roster, he feels the offense will “come to fruition” as the season progresses.

“We lost a couple players from last year, but I’m expecting the offense to pick up as the season goes along,” said Dowd.

“We’re just trying to grow a lot as a team,” added Ogniewski, a sophomore. “I think, by the end of the season, we’re going to be pretty good.”

The Saints’ goal this season is to reach sectionals and “make some noise,” Dowd said. While many of the current varsity squad spent last season at the JV level, that team lost only two games in 2022.

“We had a couple girls that had to play varsity the year before, that came back down to play JV, which is obviously a huge ask for them,” said Dowd. “I told them that if they made that commitment, that our goal was to get to sectionals. Our goal is not only to get to sectionals, but to get to sectionals and make some noise.”