Coming out of April vacation with a 9-2 record, just how good can the Newton North girls softball team be this season?

“The sky is the limit,” says head coach Lauren Baugher. “We have three components that make teams good all around: defense, pitching and hitters. You don’t always get that.”

The Tigers opened the season with seven straight victories, bludgeoning their opponents by a combined score of 90-6.

Then came the first real test of the 2026 campaign: a home game against eighth-ranked Hopkinton. The visitors took the game 12-11, fending off a furious North comeback that almost saw the hosts crawl out of a 6-run deficit.

While the loss stung, Baugher was pleased to see the team’s resilience against a talented opponent. “It’s something they can learn from,” she says.

Since then, the Tigers have added victories over Wakefield and Franklin, solidifying their place as one of the top teams in the division. Those wins have been by more modest margins—3-2 and 5-4, respectively—showing that the team can win on defense and pitching, too.

While the team has individual talent at a variety of positions, Baugher points to players’ camaraderie—developed over years of playing softball with the Newton Panthers Softball Club—as one of the reasons why they have raced out to such a strong record.

“When you look at successful teams, or teams that win championships, they all look out for each other and have each others’ backs,” she says. “We can make a good run as long as the kids keep working hard and support each other.”

MORE IMAGES

Lyla Berton (12) and Sophia Boehmer (3) encourage each other during a break in play against Hopkinton. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Junior catcher Lyla Berton (12) glances toward the Hopkinton bench. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Nora Hamel (18) prepares to throw across the diamond. Last year, Hamel was a Boston Globe All Scholastic player and MVP of the Bay State Carey Division. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Sophia Boehmer (3) makes the catch in the outfield. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

The Newton North varsity softball team prepares for a game against Hopkinton on April 17, 2026. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Brianna Arzuaga (15) catches up with the ball. Offense has been one of the Tigers’ calling cards this year, with the squad logging multiple lopsided wins early in the season. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Coach Lauren Baugher hits a fly ball during warmups. At this point in the season, “every game is kind of a big deal,” she says. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Ashlyn Baugher (20), Brianna Arzuaga (15), and Nora Hamel (18) relax during pregame. Many Tiger players have been playing softball together for years, helping to build team chemistry. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Ashlyn Baugher (20) patrols the first base line. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

The Newton North varsity softball team ran off seven straight wins before suffering their first loss of the season, 12-11, to Hopkinton on April 17, 2026. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon