By Michael Letendre

The Bristol Central softball team had a tremendous season this year and All-State shortstop, senior Gwen Torreso, was a major reason for the program’s success.

To say she was one of the top players of the Central Connecticut Conference would be a complete understatement.

And both Torreso and the Central squad had success together over a stellar 16-5 campaign.

Offense, defense, overall ability, leadership, guile – think of any attribute to describe the all-around talent and it would fit.

She’s been a standout for the program over her three scholastic seasons for the Rams and ended up a model student athlete every player should emulate.

“Gwen is Bristol Central softball,” said Central coach Monica Hayes. “She was the catalyst for our entire offense. As Gwen went, so did we. She had a direct impact on winning the [CCC South] Patriot Division, reaching the semis of the CCC Conference Tourney, and making it to the second round of the State Tourney. She was the quintessential senior captain and teammate, setting a prime example of what a student-athlete should be.”

And there was a boatload piled on her plate in terms of her overall role on the squad.

Yes, there was a senior presence on the team, but several young players were positioned on the field and Torreso was there to guide the group along.

Don’t forget, Torreso was nearly fresh out of Bristol Girls Little League Softball and City Series play when she came to Central – making contributions to the program from Bristol Central right from the start.

“She was responsible for leading a group of veterans and young players, many in their first varsity softball season, which was not an easy task,” said Hayes. “Gwen’s ability to relate to her teammates and build a positive rapport with all those around her is admirable. While she has certainly accomplished so much as a player.”

“Bristol Central softball will be able to replace Gwen, the athlete, but not Gwen, the person.” 

Her list of accomplishments and awards over her three years rivals all the top players during that same period in CCC play.

She was CCC South All-Conference in 2019 and 2021while this past season, Torreso earned Class L CHSCA All-State.

In terms of the classroom, Torreso scooped up Academic All-Conference over all three of her varsity seasons and to top it all off, she earned Class L Academic All-State this past spring.

Only seven softball players earned that award this year.

And the icing in the cake for Torreso was winning the Phil Pirog Award – the only award that Bristol Central softball hands out. 

That honor goes to the player that best represents Bristol Central softball, named after long-time coach Phil Pirog.

This past year, Torreso ended up batting .526 to go along with 40 hits, 34 runs scored, 32 RBI while smacking out five home runs as a couple of those round-trippers came against Bristol Eastern.

Over her three scholastic seasons, Torreso batted .442 and tallied 95 total hits.

“Athletically, she was the most coachable player I’ve ever had,” said Hayes. “Her development since her freshman year has been a pleasure to watch. When she came to Bristol Central as a freshman, she was a dead-pull hitter with some power. She has learned patience at the plate and the value of using the right side of the field and has shown progress every year since.”

She had tremendous poise at the plate, striking out a total of four times in 2021.

And her career numbers included just 13 strikeouts over three seasons.

“Gwen’s awareness of the strike zone was beneficial to her development as well,” said Hayes. “As Gwen’s patience at the plate grew and she started seeing the benefits of using the right side, she was a giant challenge to opposing pitchers. However, Gwen’s ability to apply all that knowledge is a testament to her athleticism and speaks volumes about her gifts as a hitter.”

And there was improvement from the dish every season for Torreso as she never batted under .300 during any of her scholastic seasons.

After batting .300 as a freshman, she just missed a .500 season – hitting .493 as a sensational sophomore.

The pandemic wiped up her junior year and at one point this season as a senior, her average was up to .607 with the postseason on-deck.

“Gwen has such confidence in herself as a hitter and it was never more evident than this past season,” said Hayes. “Her offensive approach, knowledge of the strike zone, and focus are remarkable; and reflective of someone far beyond her age.”

Then there was her play on the defensive end at shortstop.

The position can be a pressure cooker but her commitment to the sport – and improvement every day at practice – saw her turn into the premier shortstop in the conference. 

“Defensively, Gwen was as reliable as you can get, making play after play at shortstop,” said Hayes. “Her focus on fundamentals during practice is one reason why she was so effective at shortstop. Regardless of her athletic ability, one intangible that has always set Gwen apart from others, athletically, is her desire to compete.” 

Hayes noted that Torreso had a few stints this year where she reached base in 12 of 14 straight plate-appearances or had 10 hits in 12 at bats – helping her reach that .600 regular season batting average.

“It was unreal,” said Hayes.

Torreso will attend UCONN in the fall but won’t be playing softball for the women’s program.

She’ll continue to hit the books and enjoy the college experience up in Storrs.

And they’ll be plenty of late-night trips to Insomnia Cookies and D.P. Dough to be had along the way.

“Gwen chose not to play in college,” said Hayes. “In my opinion, it was one of the reasons she was so successful this year. Her love for the game was so evident and to have the opportunity to play so freely is a great message to everyone! There was no currency in hits or RBIs for Gwen. She competed because she loves to and that is a rare thing these days.”

Hayes knows Gwen will come back next season to watch sister Sophia pitch an inning or two – cheering the team along the way.

And Hayes know wherever Torreso ends up, she’ll continue to make positive impacts on the people around her.

“I hope Gwen finds time to reflect on her softball career at some point,” said Hayes. “And when she does, I simply hope she smiles.”