After shutting out their opponents, 34-0, in the first two games of the Junior League all-star softball state tournament, Western Sussex earned a 16-0 win over Canal last Thursday night in Milford to win the state championship. The team will move on to Eastern Regional play in Orange, Connecticut this week.
“It’s an amazing feeling. I’m super proud of all these kids,” said Western Sussex manager Steve Durham.
“It feels really good. We’ve been working hard,” Pitcher Kendall Scott added.
Western Sussex’s Emma Short beats the throw to first following a Canal error last week in Milford. Photo by Mike McClure
Canal’s Riely Beale drew a one-out walk in the top of the first before Western Sussex second baseman Danica Humphries fielded a ground ball and threw to shortstop Ally Bennett for the force at second and Bennett fired to first to turn the inning ending double play.
In the bottom of the inning, Humphries drew a leadoff walk, stole second, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by Bennett. Aryiana Lake singled in Bobbie Smith (single) and Scott (walk) and scored on a wild pitch.
Rogue Garcia (walk) and Emma Short (first on error) each scored on an error to make the score 6-0. Lauren Myers reached first on an error and scored on a passed ball, Reagan Swain walked and came home on a wild pitch, and Maliyah White walked and scored on a wild pitch to cap the nine-run inning.
Canal’s Nina Collier singled and went to second on an error with one out but Western Sussex pitcher Kendall Scott got a groundout and a strikeout to strand the runner. In the bottom of the second, Humphries walked, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored when Bennett walked and got into a rundown before returning to first base. Bennett stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and came home on a groundout by Smith; Scott doubled and scored on a wild pitch, Lake walked and came home on an error, and Lauren Myers singled in Garcia (walk) and Short (first on error) for a 15-0 advantage.
Scott recorded three strikeouts in the top of the third. Western Sussex added one more run in the bottom of the third as Madison Hare reached third on an error and scored on a groundout by White (16-0).
Canal entered the top of the fourth needing two runs to keep the game going. Scott recorded a pair of strikeouts then Beale singled and Denham walked. Canal had runners on second and third when the runner on third got caught in a rundown between third and home and was tagged out to end the game.
“It (the Western Sussex team scoring) takes a lot of pressure off. I definitely like when there’s runs on the board for our side,” said Scott.
“Kendall’s been an absolute rock for this team since day one. She’s had a ton of quality innings. Of course in the championship game the rock’s going in her hands,” Durham said of his pitcher.
The Western Sussex team used its base running abilities to score 50 runs in three state tournament games.
“These kids have been drilled for a long time on smart base running and taking advantage of every opportunity that is given to them,” said Durham.
Most of the team has been playing together with the coaches for the last four or five years. This is their first opportunity to play in regionals.
“It’s something that they’ve been wanting for a long time and it’s good that we have all the pieces to the puzzle and it’s come to fruition,” Durham said.
Scott said the group has played together in all-stars and travel ball. This is the first year they have all been back together since COVID.
“There’s a lot of nice girls on this team. We’ve all bonded very well together,” she said.
