Maranacook softball coach Don Beckwith is hard pressed to say exactly where senior Katie Dore showed improvement this season.
“It’s hard to get a lot better when you’re already pretty damn good,” Beckwith said. “If anything she became a better leader.”
Additional Photos
A three-sport athlete at the Readfield school, Dore earned 12 varsity letters in four years. She capped it with a banner softball season in which she made just one error, batted nearly .600 and helped the Black Bears to a Class B tournament berth. For her efforts, Dore has been named the Kennebec Journal Softball Player of the Year. Maranacook’s Heidi Shaw, Oak Hill’s Lauren Hall and Hall-Dale’s Carylanne Wolfington were also considered.
Dore did show some improvement this season, in leadership as well as added power at the plate. While batting .592, she led the team in doubles, was second in RBIs and hit five home runs, three of those over the fence.
“I knew we had a younger team so I wanted to improve on my hitting,” Dore said. “I started going to the gym and lifting more.”
The youth on the team also led Dore to become more vocal on the field and in the dugout, a fact Beckwith appreciated.
“She reminded them that softball was first, that was the season they were in,” Beckwith said. “The kids think a lot of her because she (usually) doesn’t say much.”
Dore began playing softball as soon as she could lift a bat and by the age of 8 was already playing for a travel team.
“I’ve loved it ever since,” she said. “I like how the game can change at any second. You have to be focused mentally and physically.”
Dore mostly played third base although Beckwith put her at shortstop for a couple of games. The Maranacook coach would have felt comfortable wherever she played.
“She’s got a cannon,” he said. “I think she could play anywhere in the field you asked her to.”
When Dore wasn’t worried about someone dropping down a bunt, her strong arm allowed her to play well behind third and still throw runners out. Beckwith said she’s also one of the fastest runners on the field which led to a slew of extra base hits.
“She’s got all the tools,” he said.
A National Honor Society member, Dore has always put academics first, in part so she can play a sport each season.
“I’ve always loved competing,” she said. “I just work hard at what I love.”
Dore’s love of competition is not lost on Beckwith.
“Katie will put her heart and soul out for you to win a ball game,” he said. “She’ll do it the right way, too.”
Dore will attend Elmira College in upstate New York next fall to study nursing and play softball. She’s also considering trying to play soccer. Right now she’s looking for a softball on which to play since her travel team folded due to a lack of players.
“It’s the first summer I haven’t played since I was 8,” she said.
Gary Hawkins — 621-5638
ghawkins@centralmaine.com
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.