Competitive spark: This senior earns Player of Year honor for commitment to sport

Last week, The Gardner News put out a vote to let readers have a say in the winner of The Gardner News Softball Player of the Year. The results of the poll, along with votes by the staff, were combined to decide the winner.

Meaghan Doyle of Quabbin tallied the highest count between the poll and staff voting to receive the honor of Softball Player of the Year.

Honorable mention

The highest scorer in the fan poll was Gardner's Olivia Wentworth, who earned 53.14% of votes from TGN readers. Wentworth led Central Mass. in hitting, finishing with 40 hits, a .714 batting average, three homers and 28 RBIs.

Meg Doyle, Softball Player of the Year

Doyle had a strong season for Quabbin, being named the Mid-Wach C MVP as well as voted onto the Worcester Telegram & Gazette Super Team.

She batted .603, including 35 hits, seven home runs and 28 RBIs. She shined defensively, too, as a versatile player that could play infield or outfield. She was primarily the Panthers' starting center fielder and she posted a .976 fielding percentage and had seven outfield assists.

Doyle most notably was a hard worker and a team player. Quabbin had a tough season, finishing 4-14. Doyle, one of the team's captains, continued to push the team and showed up ready to get better every day, not allowing herself to get down and give up because of the losses.

"She's somebody who after our playoff game [her freshman year] was asking me, 'what can I do better?' after going 4-for-4 with two home runs," Quabbin coach Chris Nosek said.

Doyle, also a basketball star who had a large part in helping Quabbin to a Central Mass. title this winter, led by example shown by her team-best batting average and constant hustle in the field.

"[That shows] her competitiveness and how committed she's always been to improving and chasing perfection," Nosek said. "She had by far the best season at the plate for us this year and she watched more film than the rest of the team combined."

Doyle is continuing her athletic career next year at New Jersey City University as a member of the softball team.