softball pg 1 5-25-23
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Softball team
takes first-ever
ECC title
outright
For the first time in a traditional ECC alignment, Woodstock captured a league divisional title and they did so by themselves with a 5-1 win over Killingly.
“This one was important for us,” said coach Jason Gerum. “We’ve never had an ECC championship, an outright one, so this game was a big deal to us and we will take it.”
The only other time the Centaurs have won an ECC divisional title in softball was in 2021 when it shared the Division 2 crown with Griswold in a COVID-altered alignment.
“This means a lot to all of us. We have an older team with seven seniors on it and this was a really good way to put icing on the cake,” said senior winning pitcher Lexi Thompson.
Sarah McArthur (2-for-3) had the big hit for the Centaurs, a two-run double, that sparked a four-run uprising in the second inning for the Centaurs. Ainsley Morse added an RBI single in the rally and another run scored on an error. Pinchrunner Maci Corradi scored the fifth run in the top of the seventh inning on an error.
“We had a few hits here and there and they were clutch which is good. We were able to get the early lead and then we held them and took it,” said senior catcher Maddie Martinez.
Thompson scattered seven hits and struck out eight to pick up the win.
“Our program is on the way up. Our JV looks really good. Look at what our freshman Ellary (Sampson) did (against Killingly). She came in to hit for Mia (Pannone) and she did the job (knocking in Corradi with a hard shot that resulted in an error and the run). We’re so proud of everyone. We put in a lot of work and it’s all coming together,” Thompson said.
“From where we were and where we are now. I couldn’t imagine this. You just keep on saying, ‘I will try another year’, and another year and I’m getting a little older now but the kids keep coming back, keep working hard, keep buying in. They say winning and losing is contagious and , at some point, we started to win a little and stayed the course and here we are,” Gerum said.
The Centaurs finished up the regular season with a 7-6 win over St. Bernard. Woodstock ended with a 14-6 mark.
“I was very pleased to have a winning season,” Gerum said. “Most of the games we dropped were very competitive and we were right in the mix.”
The final game came down to the final inning as the Saints threatened late but Thompson came in to record a last-out save in the circle.
The senior was also instrumental offensively as she hit a pair of three-run homers in the third and fifth innings to give the softball team an early six-run lead.
Thompson has eight homers this season.
Winning pitcher Grace Delsanto knocked in what proved to the game-winning run with a single in the sixth inning.
Martinez had three hits in the win while Elizabeth Morgis added a pair of hits. including a double, for the Centaurs.
The postseason began on Tuesday for the Centaurs as they hosted Ledyard in an ECC first-round tournament game (the game ended too late for this edition).
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
The Woodstock Academy softball team was all smiles last week in Dayville as the Centaurs clinched their first-ever traditional ECC divisional title with a win over Killingly. Photos by Marc Allard.
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