Jul 24, 2005
By Marvin Pave, Globe Staff
LOWELL -- Kristine Botto has her own special rooting section when the New England Riptide of the National Pro Fastpitch league plays its home games at Martin Field in Lowell.
''Oh, I'd guess between family and former teammates at Lowell High and UMass-Lowell, the number can be as high as 20," said Botto, a first-year outfielder and utility player for the Riptide who set numerous team records in college and is an assistant softball coach at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.
''There's my parents, Steve and Colleen, my brother Steve Jr. and his wife Melissa, my brother Mike and his girlfriend Alicia Pare, my sister Keri and her husband Kevin Boucher, my niece and nephew Lily and Jake Boucher, and my boyfriend Don Drust, who played football at UMass-Lowell. Don and I wore the same uniform number, 11, in college."
Lily and Jake make sure the fans coming to Martin Field know their allegiance because they wear jerseys with the name ''Botto" on the back. The shirts were bought at one of the Riptide games and their mom stenciled the family name on the back along with Kristine's 11.
''It's been awesome," said Botto's mother. ''People come up to me all the time to say how great it is to have her playing here."
So it has been a nice homecoming for Botto, who used to travel two-and-a-half hours each way to Stratford, Conn., where she played with the Connecticut Classics and Stratford Brakettes amateur softball teams after her playing days at UMass-Lowell were over. She led the Classics in hitting for three seasons, and last year she topped the Brakettes with a .396 batting average. Both the 2001 Classics and 2004 Brakettes won national championships.
Now the commute to Martin Field from her apartment in Lowell is just four minutes. With her new team she has eliminated the cellphone calls to her parents from Connecticut and the wear and tear on her car.
Botto tried out for the Riptide -- whose season runs through late August -- at Martin Field in mid-May and on her 26th birthday, May 21, found out she had made the team. ''I get asked a lot how it feels to be playing in my hometown and it's almost indescribable," she said. ''It's been so much fun and so enjoyable."
Riptide coach Sharon Drysdale says she's rarely met a player as team-oriented as Botto.
''In the words of that commercial -- she's priceless," said Drysdale. ''Her first thought is what's best for the team as opposed to her individual playing time. She'd probably play more regularly except for the fact we've lost some players and I need someone with her speed to pinch-run when we have a chance to score late in games. She's provided some key runs. We have a number of people who can hit, but none as intimidating as Kristine when it comes to speed. But it means keeping her out of the order until that moment comes."
Drysdale, however, said Botto is a skilled player with ability as a ''slapper," which means she can take a one- or two-step stride before hitting the ball and that, as the Riptide roster stabilizes, she has the ability to see more playing time.
''She's also been a catcher, so she can warm up our pitcher. She has coaching experience, which provides valuable insight so she's like another coach on the field for me," said Drysdale. ''I know her family and friends give our team a great lift, too. She's extremely proud of them and we love their consistent support and encouragement."
Botto graduated in 1997 from Lowell High where she was a soccer goalie, ran track, and was catcher on the softball team. She was an All-Conference Merrimack Valley League selection in soccer and track, a league All-Star in softball, and captain of all three sports.
''Softball was the one I liked most," said Botto, who was the recipient of used gloves from her brothers, both of whom were accomplished baseball players. ''It was my love and my passion but the other sports helped make me a better all-around athlete."
Steve Jr. and Kristine attended UMass-Lowell together for one year, she as a freshman and he as a senior. Steve walked on to the UML baseball team and was a three-year starter at second base. A former baseball captain at Lowell High, Steve teaches physical education and is an assistant baseball coach at Greater Lowell Vocational, the same school where Botto's other brother, Mike, was a standout baseball pitcher.
UMass-Lowell head softball coach Harry Sauter said as a player, Botto was ''first on the field and last one off from her freshman year on.
''She played any position we asked, she was a great offensive weapon as a slap hitter and she was the kind of player you get once or twice in your coaching career. As a coach, she brings more of the same attitude and enthusiasm to the team. The players look up to her because she has shown that a good [NCAA] Division 2 player can have a softball career after college."
Botto said she couldn't have asked for a better career at UMass-Lowell and the school record book bears that out: She still holds River Hawk marks for career stolen bases (77 in 86 attempts); stolen bases in a season (33 of 35 attempts); career singles (205), at-bats in a season (175), and stolen base percentage for her career (.895). She also rates in the top 10 in six other categories, including a lifetime batting average of .343.
''I had such a great time at UMass-Lowell. I graduated with four other women who will be lifelong friends," said Botto. She graduated from college in December 2001 and has been a part-time teacher at Butler Middle School in Lowell for the last four years.
Her path to the Connecticut Classics was forged because, as a UMass-Lowell player, her team played against Southern Connecticut, whose assistant coach is also head coach of the Classics, an age 23 and under team that is the development squad for the nationally-known Stratford Brakettes. The Brakettes came to Martin Field last weekend for a four-game series against the Riptide. The teams split, leaving the Riptide with a 16-11 record. Botto's stats through last weekend included one stolen base and 10 runs scored.
As a member of the Classics, Botto played against a team of touring all-stars who were promoting women's pro softball in a game at Martin Field a couple of years ago.
''It was my first time back in Lowell as a player since college," she recalled, ''and we played before a sellout crowd. I remember going 2-for-3 in one of the games there and getting asked for lots of autographs. It was a real eye-opener."
Now it has all come full circle for Botto, whose father and mother graduated from Lowell High in 1970.
''I used to get my brothers' hand-me-down gloves and go to all their baseball games," she said. ''Now they're in the stands watching me. If this turns out to be my last year playing softball, it would be a great memory."
