By Christopher Tremblay, Staff Sports Writer

Growing up, Taryn Gerber and Dakota Vaudreuil both got involved in the Webster town softball program at a young age and it was here that the two girls became friends on and off the field. Now over a decade later, the two will be entering their senior year at Bartlett High School where they will also be participating on the Indians softball team for their fourth and final season.

The duo have been playing softball together since the second grade. They always are together and according to Vaudreuil, they have been sports friends from the beginning.

Early on, the two girls were on the same path before Gerber eventually veered off and took her softball career in a different direction. Vaudreuil joined travel ball and then found herself playing for the CMASS Crusaders before she left for the Firebirds, out of Milford for the past four seasons. Gerber also found herself playing travel ball for the Crusaders but left due to not having a place to play after one year. After the single season with the Crusaders, she would join the Rhode Island Rampage.

“I was originally picked by the Crusaders to join their team and it was a great feeling knowing that I had talent to play the game,” Gerber said. “But after one year, I was told that they didn’t have a place for me on the team; they had told me that they wanted me to improve my game but were unwilling to help me, so I left. Leaving the Crusaders was the best thing that I could have ever done.”

Once with the Rampage, the Ocean State-based team helped her to work on her game to where she is now a prominent player on the Bartlett High School team.

Vaudreuil continued to play with the Crusaders where she emulated her mother and aunt, both who had played softball themselves growing up. Having an aunt who played catcher, Vaudreuil decided that was what she wanted to do.

“With my aunt being a catcher, I wanted to be like her and follow in her footsteps,” she said. “It was a great experiences and I made a lot of friends in the process.”

While playing with the Crusaders, Coach Keith Girard saw something in the young athlete that would forever change her softball life. Girard could see that Vaudreuil could pitch and he moved her into the position, a position that the young softball player loved.

“He saw that pitching was my thing. I love being in charge and a leader,” she said. “Other teams started to take notice of my pitching skills as well.”

The Firebirds were one such team and eventually asked the Webster native to join their team.

During their eighth-grade year in middle school, the girls’ softball team didn’t have a catcher and were on the verge of not having another season of softball.

“We had already lost our seventh-grade season due to Covid and we were in danger of losing our eighth-grade season as well,” Gerber said. “Without a catcher we were not going to have a season so I decided to volunteer to play the position so we had one season at the middle school.”

Much like her friend, she found the switch rejuvenating and a position that she not only quickly picked up, but one that she enjoyed immensely. 

Following middle school, the duo was looking forward to getting into high school and playing on the varsity level for the Indians. While both girls made the cut to earn a spot on the varsity squad, neither would play their original position that inaugural season. Gerber was blocked by a senior shortstop and the Bartlett team had many pitchers that year, while her friend Vaudreuil unfortunately was injured and found herself in and out of physical therapy and unable to pitch.

“It was a very big disappointment not being able to pitch,” Vaudreuil said. “But I was playing as a left fielder, a position that I never really played too much before, but at least I was part of the team.”

While Vaudreuil was playing on a regular basis and enjoyed being able to help the team, Gerber’s season was just the opposite.

“My freshman year was not that enjoyable for me as I was not playing that much,” she said. “And although I did get to play the outfield and pitch on occasion, it just wasn’t my favorite.”

Their freshman season on the varsity squad may not have started as they had hoped it would, but come their sophomore campaign things would become a lot better for both girls.

Both girls had to overcome road blocks that first year, but Coach Courtney Stawiecki saw potential in the two athletes.

“Dakota was dealing with a shoulder injury and couldn’t pitch that season, so I put her in left field where she was awesome and had herself a great season. She knew her limitations, especially if she ever wanted to pitch again,” the Bartlett coach said. “Taryn, on the other hand, had a top shortstop in front of her and there wasn’t too much room for another pitcher so she would have to find another position if she wanted to get onto the field. She became the back-up catcher knowing the position would be open during her sophomore season.”

Knowing that positions would open during their sophomore season, both worked hard in the off-season to secure those positions. Vaudreuil, determined to prove herself as a high school pitcher on the varsity level, worked with a personal trainer following the freshman season, while Gerber took catching lessons to work on her blocking skills and strengthening her arm.

The duo would not only make the starting rotation for the Bartlett varsity squad, but they’d also become a tandem as Vaudreuil found herself pitching to her friend and teammate positioned behind the plate. 

“It was really awesome being able to work with Taryn,” Vaudreuli said. “We became a great duo, one that could read each other’s minds and understand what each wanted to do in a certain situation.”

Gerber echoed her friend’s sentiment about playing together.

“We really know each other well and what type of pitch should be called,” she said. “Most of the time we agree, but occasionally she’ll shake me off. Together we believe that we can put this team in the right position to be successful.”

Now as their junior season has concluded the two friends are both looking forward to their senior season next spring. Both girls are hoping that Bartlett can have themselves a better season. Individually, Gerber is looking to throw out a lot more runners during her final season, while Vaudreuil is hoping to break the school record for strikeouts. During her sophomore year she recorded 100 K’s and last year fanned 162 giving her 262 for her career.

When their senior season comes to an end at Bartlett, both are hoping that they can continue playing softball on the collegiate level. At this time, neither girl has an offer, but they both have some ideas where they want to play; unfortunately, it will not be together.

“Playing with Taryn has definitely been a great experience and to be able to stick with the same person has been a blessing,” Vaudreuli said. “I would love to continue playing with her on the collegiate level, but it doesn’t matter where we each go, we should both be able to succeed.”