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Taunton baseball, softball players put pen to paper on college commitments in NLI ceremony

TAUNTON — As Taunton Athletic Director Mark Ottavianelli put it, if this past springs' state championship titles for baseball and softball were them ascending to the throne, Monday was the coronation for some of their brightest stars.

Three members of the Tigers baseball team, pitcher and first baseman Ryan MacDougall, third baseman Braden Sullivan and shortstop Dawson Bryce, and two members of the softball team, outfielder Ava Venturelli and catcher Kaysie DeMoura, put pen to paper and signed their National Letters of Intent (NLI) to commit to continue their game at the collegiate level.

"I’m just so proud of the kids," Ottavianelli said. "They’ve put in a lot of hard work throughout their five years here and what people don’t understand is what quality kids we have at Taunton High School. I’m so proud to work with our staff to work with these types of kids and we have that across the board here. This is an example of our student body and I couldn’t be prouder of them."

Four of the senior athletes committed to NCAA Division I programs, with Venturelli headed to the University of Louisville, MacDougall headed to the University of Dayton, Bryce headed to Merrimack College and Sullivan headed to the University of Massachusetts, while DeMoura, the 2022 Taunton Daily Gazette Softball Player of the Year, committed to Division II Southern New Hampshire University.

From left to right: Taunton's Ryan MacDougall, Ava Venturelli, Braden Sullivan, Kaysie DeMoura and Dawson Bryce pose after signing their National Letters of Intent during a ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.
From left to right: Taunton's Ryan MacDougall, Ava Venturelli, Braden Sullivan, Kaysie DeMoura and Dawson Bryce pose after signing their National Letters of Intent during a ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.

"They come out every day (and) compete and they compete hard," Ottavianelli said. "They’re classy kids who work hard and just get after it every single day, and that goes for all of our programs. If you’re a young kid in the City of Taunton, you would want to come here (because of) our facilities, our programs, the support that we have and this is the product of that and it’s just a very good mix overall between our kids, our programs and the city and I’m very proud."

For Venturelli, who verbally committed to the Cardinals last fall after spending her sophomore season playing in showcase tournaments across the country, the moment marked the realization of all of her work up to this point.

"It feels amazing just to think that all of the hard work that I’ve done over these years and all of the sacrifices that I’ve made are finally coming together and to see it put pen to paper is awesome," Venturelli said. "I’m super excited for the opportunity and I can’t wait for my four years there."

As for what led her to choose Louisville, she said it was the welcoming feeling she felt as soon as she stepped foot on campus.

"Honestly the atmosphere was so ‘at home,'" Venturelli said. "Everything about it reminded me about being at home and I loved that and my coaches are a huge part of that. They’re super personable and they immediately connected with me and made me feel welcomed and I love all of them, so that was a big part of my decision, and the campus is great. Everybody loves the athletes, it’s a very athletic-centered school so that was amazing for me."

Additionally, the prospect of being able to challenge herself in an increasingly tough Division I conference is another thing she's looking forward to.

"The ACC is one of the best conferences in all of college sports and especially with softball, the ACC is up and rising as one of the best conferences so I’m excited to face some awesome teams and develop my game down there," Venturelli said, adding she's also excited to get to work with Cardinals hitting coach Bryce Neal to help further improve her abilities at the plate.

Taunton softball's Ava Venturelli signs her National Letter of Intent to play for the University of Louisville as dad Tony Venturelli watches on during a signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.
Taunton softball's Ava Venturelli signs her National Letter of Intent to play for the University of Louisville as dad Tony Venturelli watches on during a signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.

During the ceremony, Venturelli was surprised by longtime friend and teammate Liv Mendonca, the former Tiger and current Framingham State pitcher, as well as fellow former teammate and current Ram Angie Lynch and former coach and current Bridgewater State coach Carrie Consalvi, who came to watch two of her former star players make their college commitments.

"(Mendonca's) been my best friend since we were 4 years old so to see her here is amazing and to see (Consalvi) here is amazing, I haven’t seen her in a while and I love the support that all of my teammates have shown me even if they’ve graduated," Venturelli said.

She was also happy to be signing her NLI along another longtime friend and teammate in her fellow captain DeMoura.

"We were just actually talking about how we’ve gone to school with each and have been friends since kindergarten, so to see us both being able to achieve that success and do it together is amazing," Venturelli said.

"It means everything," DeMoura said of signing with Venturelli as well as MacDougall, Bryce and Sullivan. "Every one of us and every kid at this school that ends up playing at the collegiate level puts in hours and hours of hard work and diligence and for everybody here, that’s something you see at Taunton, everyone’s a hard worker, everyone wants to perform, everyone wants to be at the next level and it shows through the softball and baseball programs that we all work hard with each other and for each other."

For DeMoura, the moment was a longtime dream come true.

"I’ve been waiting my whole life for a moment like this to be able to play collegiate softball and I’m so excited that the coaches and the school are giving me this opportunity and I’m just excited to start the next chapter," DeMoura said.

Taunton softball's Kaysie DeMoura signs her National Letter of Intent to play for Southern New Hampshire University while brother Jack DeMoura watches on during a signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.
Taunton softball's Kaysie DeMoura signs her National Letter of Intent to play for Southern New Hampshire University while brother Jack DeMoura watches on during a signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.

Like with Venturelli, DeMoura knew SNHU was the place for her from the moment she stepped on campus.

"When I first walked on the campus, I immediately felt at home," DeMoura said. "A lot of the girls were very welcoming and right away I became friends with a lot of them and it’s just the facilities and every opportunity they give you is to better yourself as a person and a player and they look to do student before athlete, so they keep you on top of your schoolwork and want you to succeed at school before you succeed at athletics and then they want you to be a star at both."

Seeing her old coach and teammates show up as well meant a lot to DeMoura and was another example of the close bond the back-to-back champions have formed.

"We’re more than just a team: we’re friendships and family and the bond that we have with each other is unbelievable," DeMoura said. "They’re like family to us, they’re sisters and it’s great to see everybody here."

In addition to DeMoura and Venturelli, two other Tiger softball players will be headed to the collegiate level next year, with outfielder Kyleah Plumb set to reunite with Consalvi in Bridgewater while first baseman Hayley Krockta will be playing for UMass Boston.

"I could not be more proud of all four of the athletes," Consalvi said. "There is no other high school like Taunton High School and I really, truly believe that when it comes to softball in this state. These kids are motivated hard workers. They learn at an early age that they want to play at that next level and they go after it, so it’s not only an honor for me but I’m prideful for the short time that I was here and prideful for this program and they should also have a lot of pride. I keep telling them that seven percent of athletes get this opportunity to play at the next level and that’s throughout the whole country so again it’s quite an honor and they should always remember when they move on where they came from and how much pride in this institution and what softball here has given them as they move on in their journey."

Over on the baseball side, for MacDougall, the 2022 Taunton Daily Gazette Baseball Player of the Year who first verbally committed to Dayton ahead of his sophomore year, putting pen to paper has been a long time coming.

"It’s a long time waiting but it feels amazing," MacDougall said. "It’s long awaited and I’m super excited, I can’t wait. Especially with these guys next to me, it’s awesome."

The reason he chose the Flyers so quickly was their coaching staff, who left an immediate impact on him.

"It was really just the coaches," MacDougall said. "Coach (Jayson) King is awesome, all of the players are awesome and it just felt like a good fit."

Taunton baseball's Ryan MacDougall signs his National Letter of Intent to play for the University of Dayton as mom Lisa MacDougall watches on during a signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.
Taunton baseball's Ryan MacDougall signs his National Letter of Intent to play for the University of Dayton as mom Lisa MacDougall watches on during a signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.

For MacDougall, the thing he's the most excited for about heading to western Ohio is a change of scenery.

"I’m most excited just for the change of environment, a change of where I’m at (and) being in a different state," MacDougall said. "I’m just excited to meet all the new people."

With Dayton playing in the Atlantic-10, it means MacDougall and the Flyers will face off with the Sullivan and the Minutemen in league play every year, something which both players are excited for.

"When I first heard he was going to UMass, that was the first thing I thought about: where are we going to play our freshman year," MacDougall said. "Our freshman year we’re going to UMass so that should be fun and hopefully we’re both on the field, it should be great."

"I’m definitely looking forward to that game," Sullivan said. "We’ll circle it on the schedule, but that’s definitely going to be the (most fun) game of the year."

Like his fellow signees, the senior infielder felt the moment was the culmination of hard work and childhood dreams coming true.

"It’s a great feeling," Sullivan said. "I’ve been looking forward to this since I was young so just to accomplish it is a great feeling."

Taunton baseball's Braden Sullivan signs his National Letter of Intent to play for the University of Massachusetts as mom Lisa Sullivan watches on during a signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.
Taunton baseball's Braden Sullivan signs his National Letter of Intent to play for the University of Massachusetts as mom Lisa Sullivan watches on during a signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.

With numerous options on the table, Sullivan said being a Minuteman proved his best option.

"At the end of the day, it ended up being the right fit," Sullivan said. "I looked at a bunch of schools, a bunch of different baseball teams and this one just stuck out to me so I chose it."

In particular, it's the fight that UMass Baseball shows that made him want to head to Amherst.

"I just like the way that they compete," Sullivan said. "I’m looking forward to winning some games next year and looking forward to playing at the next level."

As for Bryce, he too is excited to ply his trade at the collegiate level.

"It feels great," Bryce said. "I really enjoy the school, I went there to take a visit and I’m excited to be there."

The Warriors gave the senior infielder his best offer and he knew they'd be the right fit.

"They gave me the best offer," Bryce said. "They seemed the most appealing to me and that helped me make my decision faster."

Taunton baseball's Dawson Bryce signs his National Letter of Intent to play for Merrimack College as dad Matt Bryce watches on during a signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.
Taunton baseball's Dawson Bryce signs his National Letter of Intent to play for Merrimack College as dad Matt Bryce watches on during a signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.

Overall, the thing Bryce is the most excited for is being able to compete at the Division I level.

"I’m just excited to play baseball there and see what Division I baseball is like," Bryce said. "I’m excited to compete."

In the meantime though, he's more than ready for one last season with the Tigers this spring.

"It’s a great group," Bryce said. "I’ve never played with a better group in my life and I’m excited to play one more year with them next year."

Along with the three Taunton baseball players who committed Monday, there are four other seniors who have committed to play Division III baseball following the upcoming season, with pitcher and outfielder Shawn Cali staying close to home with Wheaton College, catcher Jesse Chaves going to Colby-Sawyer College, first baseman Joey Kazlauskas headed to Gordon College and pitcher Peter Moor heading to Curry College.

"I’m super proud," Tigers baseball coach Blair Bourque said. "They put a lot of hard work in over many years (and) they’re very talented so this is kind of the beginning of their next chapter and I couldn’t be prouder of what they’ve accomplished so far here at Taunton High and their AAU programs and youth programs. They’ve been successful throughout their entire careers and I think this is just a stepping stone for their future."

For Bourque, the depth of his championship team comes from a strong support and development base in the Silver City.

"I think it says a lot about our youth programs and how they’ve competed against one another for their whole careers," Bourque said. "I think it’s a testament to the talent level in Taunton and a lot of hard work goes into that with parent dedication, so I think it’s a culmination of a lot of things. I couldn’t ask for better student athletes. They’re leaders in the classroom, they’re leaders on the field and in the community and to recognize Dawson, Ryan and Sully is just a small glimpse of the entire success of the senior class, because we do have a lot of guys going to play Division III next year as well."

One thing all of the players and coaches certainly agreed on is that they're excited to defend their titles this spring and feel confident in their chances to do so.

"I think we have a good chance of winning the state championship again, which would be unreal," Bryce said.

"The returning team is super good this year and hopefully we can just live up to it," MacDougall said. "We have a bunch of returning seniors, a bunch of experienced players so it will be a fun season."

"Looking at it from above, I think we’re just looking to go win it all again," Sullivan said. "We’ve got the team, we've got the roster and at the end of the day we should be able to do it, it just depends on if we come out on top or not."

Taunton baseball coach Blair Bourque (left) poses with players Ryan MacDougall, Dawson Bryce and Braden Sullivan during an NLI signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.
Taunton baseball coach Blair Bourque (left) poses with players Ryan MacDougall, Dawson Bryce and Braden Sullivan during an NLI signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.

Overall for Bourque, his biggest hope is that the seniors will continue to instill their winning culture with the newcomers.

"I think it’s going to be great for the underclassmen to see what it takes to be successful," Bourque said. "I think that their work ethic and competitive drive will allow the younger classes to see and hopefully model themselves after (the seniors) in the classroom, in the weight room and on the field, so I don’t think you could ask for better players. Last year’s class as well, it’s just a continuing thing where we’re not judging ourselves on championships, we’re judging ourselves on character and other successes that you have whether it’s academic or athletic. It’s just really cool that we just have a group right now that’s coming together at the right time and I’m just really proud to be part of the program and they’ll continue to be successful."

For softball, with a large core of their star players returning for their senior season, along with some talented newcomers, the prospect of the coveted three-peat is very much on their mind.

"Honestly I think we have the chance to go three in a row," Venturelli said. "I think our team’s going to be amazing. I think we’re going to have great team chemistry like we did last year and I think we can repeat this year. With the work we’re all going to put in, it’s going to be a great year."

"I’m very excited to see what we can do this year," DeMoura said. "We do have a lot of our returning players, we have some new players coming in (too) so it’ll be good to see what we can do and I think we’re going to be an unstoppable team just like last year."

From left to right bottom row: Taunton junior varsity softball coach Mike Fox, former Taunton softball coach Carrie Consalvi, Ava Venturelli and Taunton softball assistant coach Meaghan Kirby. Top row: Angie Lynch, Kyleah Plumb, Hayley Krockta, Kaysie DeMoura and Liv Mendonca during an NLI signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.
From left to right bottom row: Taunton junior varsity softball coach Mike Fox, former Taunton softball coach Carrie Consalvi, Ava Venturelli and Taunton softball assistant coach Meaghan Kirby. Top row: Angie Lynch, Kyleah Plumb, Hayley Krockta, Kaysie DeMoura and Liv Mendonca during an NLI signing ceremony on Nov. 14, 2022.

For Consalvi, while she's no longer at the helm, she's confident in the abilities of her former team.

"I think they’re going to be fantastic," Consalvi said. "They’ve got some great leadership moving into next year with players like Kaysie, Ava, Krockta and Kyleah, that’s a good core four to have moving into next year, some good senior leadership and then like Taunton always does, they just reload and there’s a great amount of strong youthful players coming through the program and I think it’ll make a nice blend. I think they’ll have a very successful season."

Taunton Daily Gazette sports reporter Cameron Merritt can be reached at cmerritt@tauntongazette.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @CamMerritt_News. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to the Taunton Daily Gazette today.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton baseball, softball players sign their NLIs to play D1, D2 ball