Olivia Ormond pitches with the weight of the Belmont High School softball team on her shoulders. Well, at least 98% of it.
Since the beginning of last season, the junior has accounted for pitching all but 3 ⅔ innings across more than 25 games. It’s a workhorse role she’s embraced despite the pressure that comes with it.
“I think it’s good for me to have that pressure in some ways,” Ormond said. “It helps me be more independent, realize what’s working and what’s not, and helps me be more self-aware.”
As the Marauders (2-3) hope for another berth to the MIAA Division 1 Tournament, Ormond takes center stage. Not only does she pitch, but Ormond bats at the top of the order. She’s a contact hitter with speed.
Of course, Ormond is not the only important player on the team, far from it. But her outsized role, and the sheer amount of time that she’ll likely hold it, is notable. Having a primary softball pitcher is not unique, but trusting the same person for multiple years represents a luxury for any program.
“It’s so nice knowing that when I go out to fill out my lineup, I always know who’s pitching and my leadoff hitter is going to be,” coach Joe Tuzzolo said. “Certainly it would be great to have more depth pitching… But she’s got such a great attitude about it.”
Ormond made the varsity team as a freshman, but then-senior Ellie Espelin served as the team’s top pitcher. Ormond showed flashes, striking out 53 batters across 30 innings with a 3.04 ERA. She combined with Espelin in a 2-0 shutout victory over Everett in the team’s first state tournament appearance in 16 years.
With Espelin off to college, Ormond took over the top pitching spot as a sophomore last year. Highlighted by a no-hitter against Lexington, Ormond struck out 200 batters over 122 innings, accounting for all but three frames. She posted a 4.41 ERA, helping Belmont back to the state tournament and a second-straight postseason preliminary round win before falling to eventual state champion Taunton. It was her final season playing with her older sister, Amelia, now a freshman outfielder at Division 3 Union College, batting over .300 and leading the team in on-base percentage.
Ormond’s sophomore year no-hitter was the team’s first win over Lexington in 15 years. A win over Wakefield, against a lot of her club teammates, also brought out Ormond’s best.
Now an upperclassman, Olivia Ormond continues to pitch in volume. This year, she’s pitched all but 2/3 of Belmont’s 36 innings with 73 strikeouts and a 4.31 ERA.
Tuzzolo said Ormond’s greatest transformation is going from a “thrower” as a freshman to a “pitcher.” She’s trusted to call her own pitches.
“We gameplan and strategize, but we do give her the freedom because she’s earned it,” Tuzzolo said. “We just feel so confident in her ability to do so.”
Over the years, Ormond refined her arsenal of fastball, changeup, curveball, and riseball. She relies on the latter two. After ditching a dropball as a freshman, she eyes adding a screwball to the repertoire.
Sophomore Janna Feinberg is in her first year as the starting catcher. She plays club softball year-round and has caught many pitchers, but Ormond stands out for many reasons.
“Out of all the pitchers I’ve caught for, I think Olivia is my favorite,” Feinberg said. “It’s just incredible because you don’t see that type of pitching every day. The only way to get better is by catching someone as great as her.”
Ormond played field hockey for two years before shifting to year-round softball, with plans to continue her softball career at the collegiate level. She plays for the Concord-based Raiders Softball program, one of the region’s top teams.
With the Marauders, one of Ormond’s goals is to help her teammates feel more confident in the field. As a captain, she also wants to help improve on-field communication. In the circle, she’s learned the importance of locating her pitches.
Sometimes the pressure of being the only regular pitcher gets to her, but Ormond does her best to stay the course.
“I’ve never struggled that much mentally or put myself down,” she said. “I feel like I’m pretty good at staying positive.”
