While the college softball season in Maine is a whirlwind, the recruiting season is a little longer.

After his team crammed a 41-game season into 44 days and getting within one win of an NCAA Division III tournament berth, Thomas coach Terry Parlin said he’ll be attending a game almost every weekday this month.

Parlin has been working on recruiting for a while, and it became his main softball priority when Thomas lost twice to Husson on Sunday on the final day of the North Atlantic Conference tournament. The Terriers had two pitchers this season in senior Sara Pavento and junior Kelsey Crowe. Parlin knows he’ll need another pitcher, because it’s unrealistic to ask one pitcher to throw that often and still be as effective.

“That’s something that I’ve been searching for all over the United States, to be honest with you — hoping to get a couple of young pitchers,” Parlin said.

Parlin said he’s optimistic about landing a couple pitchers, and some other recruits have also paid their deposit for next fall. One transfer coming in is Mary Baker, who was a standout infielder at Skowhegan Area High School.

“We’re still right in the middle of recruiting season,” Parlin said. “We’re hoping for a few more who are on our list who could help us if they come.”

Probably every Division III coach has thought they had landed a great player, only to have him or her change their mind at the last minute and switch schools or decide they don’t want to play sports. But the coaches keep trying, and Parlin said he is still has Thomas College applications crossing his desk from students who indicate they’re interested in playing softball in college.

“Sometimes, it’s just waiting for someone to show an interest in them,” Parlin said. “Sometimes, that’s what gets them here. I’m still looking for a few more, that’s for sure.”

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Colby baseball missed out on the playoffs, but at 16-17, the Mules posted their best record since going 18-14 in 2008.

Most of the difference was in pitching. Colby had a 4.96 ERA this year, compared to 6.47 last season. Brady Hesslein led the starters in innings (48 1/3) and ERA (3.54). Hesslein, a junior, also had three of Colby’s four complete games.

Mike Mastrocola led the offense with a .390 average and 34 RBIs in 29 games. Two freshmen outfielders, Jason Buco and Cony High School graduate Luke Duncklee, hit .380 and .353, respectively and combined for 25 stolen bases.

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Maranacook graduate Katie Dore, last year’s Kennebec Journal Softball Player of the Year, just completed an impressive freshman season at Elmira College in New York.

Dore led the Soaring Eagles in nine major offensive categories, including batting average (.380), on-base percentage (.412), slugging percentage (.633) and home runs (four). Dore also led Elmira with 20 RBIs in 24 games, even though she batted second for the first half of the season before moving to the leadoff spot midway through the year.

Dore started at shortstop all season for the Soaring Eagles. Elmira was 7-5 in non-conference play but went 1-11 in the Empire 8 Athletic Conference to go 8-16 overall.

Matt DiFilippo — 861-9243

mdifilippo@centralmaine.com

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