Lily Newhall, the 5-foot-5-inch superstar right-hander for the St. Mary’s High School softball team, signed her national letter of intent to attend Saint Anselm College during a ceremony at the school Tuesday.
It was a dually proud moment for Jeffrey Newhall, the director of athletics at St. Mary’s, who is Lily’s uncle.
Also present at the ceremony were Lily’s father, Jason Newhall, an inductee in the Bridgewater State College Hall of Fame as an undefeated pitcher for the Bears’ 1996 Division 3 College World Series team, and mother, Lysa Newhall, a three-sport star at Reading High and softball standout at Bridgewater State, where she met her future husband. Lily’s brother, Shea, and sister, Adyson, also shared in the joy of the day.
But the main spotlight shone on Lily Newhall, who has been racking up victories and championships since her multi-All-Star career as the two-time Wyoma Little League softball MVP and ace for a New England Regional finalist.
St. Mary’s softball coach Frank Pagliuca, who also attended the ceremony, said, I’m so happy for her. This is a pinnacle moment for her. Lily has a competitive fire that comes out all the time. She loves the game, and she is a great leader.
“Lily is obviously a quality pitcher, but she is a well-rounded player. She’s a good fielder and a good hitter. She knows what’s ahead of her and she’s not afraid of competition. Lily has a natural work ethic and is committed to her craft. She’s coachable and has no ego. She’s willing to put the time in to get to the next level.”
Making Her College Decision
Lily Newhall said she considered Merrimack College, Endicott, Assumption, and Stonehill before taking her talents north to Saint Anselm in New Hampshire.
“I’ve visited Saint Anselm a couple of times, and it just felt like home,” said Lily. “I met the team, and the girls are all really nice. And the coach is really great.”
Newhall was able to attract the attention of college programs despite having her entire sophomore season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Getting recruited was really hard, but I’m happy that I found the right school,” she said.
Saint Anselm plays in the highly competitive Division 2 Northeast-10 Conference.
A Stellar Career for the Spartans
Lily Newhall has pitched in three varsity seasons for St. Mary’s beginning in the eighth grade.
A past Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic and Item Player of the Year, Newhall has a 40-5 career record and has struck out 388 batters. She has a career earned run average of 1.46. She batted .387 as a junior with two fence-clearing home runs and 11 RBIs.
“In my pitching, I try to focus on my spin,” said Newhall. “Before the game, I’ll take a hockey puck and I’ll spin it to my catcher. That’s how I get my wrist going. I love my curveball, my screwball, and my fastball. I also have a two-seam fastball which is one of my favorite two-strike pitches.”
As a freshman, Newhall helped lead the Spartans to the North sectional final where they lost, 2-1, to Austin Prep. Last season St. Mary’s, champion of the Catholic Central League, fell, 3-2, in eight innings in the North sectional final at Amesbury before a tremendous hometown crowd.
Newhall would like to conclude her career this spring with a state championship, perhaps the only achievement missing on her brilliant resume.
“We have a lot of talent, we just have to put it into play,” said Newhall. “I’m hoping we can start fast and just show everybody what kind of team we have. We have a tough schedule and I love our games against Austin Prep.
She is taking part in offseason workouts at The Swing Factory in Lynn and at Tufts University. She also competes for Lisa McGloin’s AAU Raiders. Her pitching coaches have been Lauren Epstein, head softball coach at Tufts, and Megan Cook, who is an assistant coach at MIT.
Lily is grateful to St. Mary’s coach Frank Pagliuca for his positive influence on her career.
“I want to give a big thanks to my high school coach, Frank Pagliuca for everything he’s done,” said Lily. “Last season was my first season with him and was one of the best experiences I’ve had. He’s really helped me prepare for college softball and has always kept me going mentally and physically.”
Praise for her Parents
Said Lily Newhall, “I’m really thankful for everything my parents have done for me. I wouldn’t be able to commit to Saint Anselm College if it weren’t for them driving me to practice, or even my mom and dad catching for me at pitching lessons if nobody else was available. And paying for everything. All this equipment is not cheap. They’ve been very helpful and supportive. My brother [Shea] and sister [Adyson] are very helpful and supportive. After games, I always get that note from my brother that I could have done better – it just keeps me going.”
Saying she has enjoyed her academic and athletic experience at St. Mary’s, Lily also lauded her uncle, Jeff Newhall, leader of the Spartans’ powerful athletic program.
“I know he’s my uncle, but I think he’s really done a great job with the school – and everything he’s done is beneficial to every sport team. He’s always just looking out for everything. He’s not biased to one team, although he coaches girls basketball. He’s very equal to all the teams at the school, and it’s the best ever to have him there. When I first started, it was good knowing that family was already there, so if I ever needed anything, I could always go to him.”