Recaps: Class LL | Class L | Class M | Class S
The high school softball season came to a close Saturday afternoon with Amity defeating Trumbull 13-7 to win the Class LL title. That came on the heels of wins by Masuk in Class L, Stafford in Class S and St. Joseph in Class M.
But before we close the book on the year, let’s recap some of the most memorable sights and sounds of Championship Weekend:
1.) SCHIEBE SENSATIONAL: Sam Schiebe etched her name into Masuk lore with her performance in the circle this postseason. The junior right-hander was simply dominant, throwing three shutouts in the Class L tournament to help the Panthers cap a 27-0 season with their first state title since 2013. Her 14-strikeout, two-hit outing in a 10-0 victory over Brookfield in the title game was a work of art. It belongs right alongside those countless gems thrown by Rachele Fico and Tatum Buckley.
The final out of Masuk’s 2018 Class L Softball Championship, 10-0 over Brookfield #ctsb pic.twitter.com/nnzJwCHuEz
— GameTimeCT (@GameTimeCT) June 9, 2018
2.) CADETS FINISH THE JOB: Despite its stretch of four FCIAC titles in five seasons — the most recent coming last month in a 6-0 victory over Trumbull — St. Joseph entered Saturday having not won a state championship since 2010. Determined to end that drought, outfielder Hannah Hutchinson (3-for-4 with a triple) and pitcher Payton Doiron (complete game, five-hitter) came through in the clutch for the Cadets in a 5-2 defeat of Griswold in the Class M final.
St. Joseph accepts the Class M softball trophy and Hannah Hutchison her MVP award after a 5-2 victory over Griswold #ctsb pic.twitter.com/0ZsTV7YHk6
— GameTimeCT (@GameTimeCT) June 9, 2018
3.) AMITY DOESN’T MISS A BEAT: There’s an old adage in baseball (and softball, for that matter) that says momentum is only as strong as your next day’s starting pitcher. While that’s true, there sure seemed to be some carryover from Amity’s dramatic seventh-inning comeback five nights earlier against Southington. The Spartans hit right from the start of Saturday’s Class LL final against Trumbull, piling up 17 hits in a 13-7 rout. Brooke Matyasovsky and Danielle Nordyk were the two stars at the plate, combining to go 9-for-10 with seven RBIs.
Amity collects its 6th state softball trophy. Dani Nordyk and Brooke Matyasovsky named co-MVPs #ctsb pic.twitter.com/7dlTRFqFVe
— GameTimeCT (@GameTimeCT) June 9, 2018
4.) WHITMAN A WINNER: Don’t overlook the solid performance that right-hander Grace Whitman delivered in the circle for Amity. The senior held the defending champion Eagles scoreless for six innings before running out of gas. Spartans coach Sara Hale said of Whitman’s outing: “Grace did phenomenal. The last few seasons, she’s been taking it for us. She has the confidence, and I have all the confidence in the world for her. I wanted her to finish it out so badly. She went out there and threw her hardest as long as she possibly could.”
5.) MOVE OVER HOLY CROSS: There’s a new champion in Class S. Holy Cross’ dreams of a four-peat were dashed by Stafford, which posted a 5-4 victory to collect its first state title since 1976 and second all-time. The Bulldogs had a flair for the dramatic, overcoming a 4-1 deficit in the sixth inning. They’ll remember that one forever. Stafford’s Meg McDermott was 4-for-4 with three RBIs to earn MVP. Hannah Davis was the winning pitcher and had the winning RBI.
ICYMI l Here is the final out as Safford defeats Holy Cross in the @ciacsports Class S #ctsb championship @GameTimeCT pic.twitter.com/WhnnjPP1gr
— FLHS Broadcasting (@flhsbroadcastin) June 9, 2018
6.) PROWESS AT THE PLATE: If Masuk’s lineup is not the best in the state, it’s one of the best. Six players had at least one hit against Brookfield, including center fielder Megan McFarland. The junior (whose father, Jack, coached Staples to the Class LL baseball title last year) tripled twice, doubled once and drove in two runs to share MVP honors with Schiebe. The Panthers averaged a whopping 11 runs per game for the tournament.
Staples coach Jack McFarland got to celebrate a Class LL state baseball championship last year, but this might top that: Watching daughter Megan hit two RBI triples and earn co-MVP honors in Masuk softball’s Class L title victory over Brookfield #ctbase #ctsb pic.twitter.com/4pW0V5UbDc
— Sean Patrick Bowley (@SPBowley) June 9, 2018
7.) CLOSE BUT NOT CLOSE ENOUGH: Trumbull’s final record was stellar (24-3). It seems almost unfair that the Eagles won’t be going home with a championship this season. But sports, as we all know, can be unpredictable.
8.) WALDRON STARS: We’d be remiss if we did not highlight Griswold pitcher Maya Waldron’s performance in the Class M tournament. Waldon tossed a perfect game against North Branford in the semifinals in a 4-0 win, then threw an incredible 137 pitches just two days later in the finals against St. Joseph.
9.) SPREADING THE WEALTH: The four champions came from four different conferences: SCC, SWC, FCIAC and NCCC. This marks the first time since 2014 that that’s happened.
10.) SUNSHINE AT LAST: After all those postponements that we were forced to endure earlier this spring because of rain and snow (not to mention a tornado), Mother Nature came through for us this weekend. All sun and not a single rain delay. Bravo.
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