If there’s one thing that has defined Emmerson “Emme” Finnigan’s softball career at Fontbonne Academy or one of her many neighborhood teams, it’s a consistently dirty, grass-stained uniform, a testament to her gritty style of play in stealing bases or diving to stop a ground ball.

But a case could also be made that the 17-year-old’s legacy will be about longevity and hardiness. If all holds through the last few weeks of the season, she will have played from start to finish in all 86 high school games — from her freshman to senior year of play.

“She literally goes for each and every ball,” said Fontbonne Head Coach Jacqui Losi, who has overseen Finnigan’s development the last three years. “That girl is not afraid to get dirty… She practices like she plays – all out, all the time.”

Dorchester’s Emme Finnigan, 17, is on track to have played all 86 of her high school softball games start to finish at Fontbonne Academy – where she has starred as a two-year captain of the team. Seth Daniel photo

Losi’s is a sentiment shared by her Dorchester travel coach, Dan Clark, who has seen a lot of players come through the neighborhood ranks, but none with the raw competitiveness of Finnigan.

“As the girls ADSL softball program boomed with interest and players, Emme was a standout with top talent,” he said. “She is one of the most competitive players I have ever been around. She goes all out for every ball and always dives for a ball in her position at shortstop. Emme has a flair for the dramatic, making SportsCenter-highlight plays in the field.”

Finnigan, a three-sport athlete at Fontbonne with a long Dorchester family pedigree, said her style of play comes from following her older brothers, Braedan and Regan, around on the sidelines of neighborhood parks until it was her turn to shine. She recalls playing baseball with them nearly every day in the summers, and “hitting into the nets” consistently at their St. Brendan’s area home – while their mother, Kim, watched over them and ran a local daycare and pre-school in Neponset.

For Finnigan, the diamond is her happy place. “I like to get dirty, I don’t know why,” she said with a laugh during a recent interview. “I like fielding the best – 100 percent – and diving for the ball at shortstop. I think I’m stronger in the field than hitting, but the fielding, when I make a good play, it just always makes me happy.”

Finnigan said she prefers playing in the field, but her hitting – from both sides of the plate – has improved greatly this year, she and her coaches said. Photo courtesy Fontbonne Academy

While starting out in Savin Hill baseball on co-ed teams where she was often the only girl on the field, Finnigan learned to challenge the boys and to be tough. When she was nine, she began playing in ADSL softball and in the RBI league – eventually playing on the Drifters travel team as well. It was there, she said, that her coaches, including Dorchester’s Katie Nolan – also a coach at Fontbonne – helped shape her into the player she is now.

“She has a great ability to keep teams on their toes, whether it be her trick plays or pure talent. She is always seen as a threat to opposing teams,” said Nolan. “Emme is the true definition of a student athlete, always making sure her studies come first and working hard to get good grades to be able to excel on the field.”

After attending the Murphy School for grades K-4, and then Boston Collegiate Charter School for grades 5-8, Finnigan moved on to Fontbonne. As a wide-eyed freshman, she soon found herself on the field with older girls – whom she credited with instilling confidence in her.

“They helped everyone out,” she said. “The juniors and seniors. If any freshmen made a mistake, they would help them fix it and not be rude about it.”

That experience has made her into the kind of leader she has become on and off the field. As a two-year captain of the team, Finnigan has led by example and is the kind of player the coaches said they can trust to run drills during practice if they’re focused elsewhere. Finnigan said she takes the “field general” role very seriously. Hanging out with teammates has probably been her most cherished memory.

“People look up to you and it’s a very important role,” she said. “I think team bonding is one of my favorite things. We go get ice cream together when we win after the games. It’s fun to talk and do team activities like that. That’s probably what I’ve enjoyed most.”

Her mom said watching Emme has brought her comfort. “No matter what is going on at any given moment in life, watching her takes me to a place of happiness,” she said. “She just has this natural talent and presence on the field. I will always be her biggest fan.”

Finnigan said it has been a great ride, and she still cannot believe that she has played in every game of her high school career, but conceded that she enjoyed every moment. Now, she’s in the middle of choosing colleges and where she might continue her softball career. But she often thinks back to that freshman from Dorchester and what she would tell her after four years of high school experience.

“I would tell myself to keep playing with confidence and keep working hard because even if you fail, there will be times when you succeed,” she said. “I would tell myself that you can’t succeed unless you fail a couple of times.”