Freshman Elyn Stomberg took over mound duties following an injury to Addy Walls and finished the year with an impressive 1.60 earned run average. PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

A veteran group led the Hopkinton High School softball team to an 18-4 record this season, including a spot in the final 16 in the team’s first season in Division 1.

Coach Shannon Allberry-Yerardi brought most of her key cogs back from last season, and it showed as the Hillers won the Tri-Valley League and earned the seventh seed in the D1 state tournament.

“Most of this team has been playing together for a while, we have been able to develop a strong culture over the last couple of years,” Allberry-Yerardi said. “What is impressive to me is how they responded to setbacks this year. They don’t dwell on their mistakes and they are able to pick each other up, which is great to see as a coach.”

Even in defeat, Hopkinton showed its resilience in the state tournament. The Hillers erased a 7-1 deficit against Malden Catholic in the second round and took a lead heading into the final inning before falling 12-11.

During the season, Hopkinton also had to deal with the loss of pitcher Addy Walls to an injury. Freshman Elyn Stomberg stepped in and finished the year with a 1.60 earned run average. Many of Hopkinton’s other standouts were returning players. Caroline Ozmun came back for her senior season at catcher and hit north of .500. She was named TVL Large School Division MVP. Allberry-Yerardi praised her for both her production and her leadership this spring. Sophomore Ava Davenport also stood out with 24 stolen bases this year, tops in the TVL.

“She was our leadoff hitter and our second baseman, and she was great in both spots,” her coach said.

An unsung player who made significant contributions was senior Tenley Winn at first base.

“She is overlooked sometimes because first base is not always the most glamorous position,” Allberry-Yerardi said. “She is an incredible leader and one of our captains. She is one of the reasons why our defense was so great.”

Another senior, outfielder Zoe Le Vine, helped drive the offense with eight home runs during the regular season.

Winning the TVL Large marked a significant achievement for Hopkinton, especially because the quality of opponents has shown marked improvement in recent years.

“Overall, we played really strong in the league, which is great because the league is up,” Allberry-Yerardi said, noting that her team only lost one game all year against TVL foes.

Going into the state tournament, Hopkinton did not know what to expect, given that it was its first year in the top division. But Allberry-Yerardi said she was pleased to see her team score a first-round win over Plymouth North in shutout fashion and advance against the tougher competition.

“I am really proud of them for making it this far,” she said.