The 2025 RIIL softball season can be summed up by stealing the famous line Boston Celtics’ legend Larry Bird told his fellow competitors in the locker room prior to the 1988 NBA All-Star 3-point contest.
“Who’s coming in second?”
La Salle went undefeated en route to a second straight state title last year. Returning almost an identical roster, these Rams look very much in line to do the same. While there’s a certain amount of pressure that comes with those types of expectations, the Rams have proven that pressure isn’t a problem.
The big question isn’t if La Salle is a state title contender — it’s identifying who the others are. Realignment didn’t change how Division I looks, but rosters have taken graduation losses as well as gained experience from last spring.
Softball season officially started last week, but any games played were like the Dodgers and Cubs playing in Tokyo. March 31 is the official opening day and here is what you can expect from the teams this spring.
Who will win the 2025 RI state softball title
Barring a truckload of injuries or COVID coming back, La Salle is going to win its third straight state title. There’s an argument to be made that the 2025 Rams are the best softball team in the history of the state. That’s the type of talent we’re talking about.
Pitching is the most important thing teams need and La Salle has All-Stater Hayleigh Vigneau, who recently committed verbally to Marist, back in the circle. The Rams’ infield defense is elite and while its outfield defense might be the closest thing to a “problem,” they won’t have a ton to do out there this season.
Offensively, no one is close. If anyone throws a pitch to Phoenyx Silva, their coach should have their head examined. Lily Roumelis and Diana Hall are returning All-Staters and there isn’t a person in the order who doesn’t rake. After missing last season, Maddie Bradley is back and is the state’s best No. 9 hitter by a mile.
If La Salle loses a game this year, it’ll be against an out-of-state team or one of the coaches pulling a Chuck Daly Dream Team move for motivational purposes.
What teams can contend for the 2025 RI state softball title
No one is going to outslug La Salle, so if the Rams are beaten, it’s going to take an elite ace being on top of her game.
There are four teams who have pitchers capable of achieving such a feat.
Coventry has Sage Soares, an All-Stater last spring who was crucial in helping the wildly inexperienced — and injured — Oakers earn the No. 2 seed before falling short in the playoffs. Having Soares gives Coventry a shot against anyone and whenever she pitches against La Salle will be a must-see type of game.
Chariho also returns an All-State pitcher in Adriana Jeannenot, who outdueled Soares in their playoff opener last spring before losing a 1-0 game to East Greenwich and a 2-0 game to Prout. The Chargers return a strong core and its hard to imagine a season where they’re not near the top of the standings.
