Sheehan Run Ends With Softball Title Loss to Woodland

STORRS, CT — M.T. Sheehan High School's magical run toward a state title ended in defeat Saturday as the Woodland High School Hawks easily won the CIAC Class M softball title 7-1.

En route to its third championship in a row, Woodland of Beacon Falls and Prospect used a mix of timely hitting, good pitching, and solid fielding to cruise to victory over the Titans of Wallingford.

The Hawks were led by junior pitcher Ella Van Alstyne's bat and arm, as she was the winning pitcher, scattering five hits and one run while going the distance and driving in two runs.

It earned Van Alstyne the game's Most Valuable Player award from the CIAC.

It was the first of a four-game slate at the Burrill Family Field Softball Complex at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, the 10 a.m. start played under bright, sunny skies.

Going in, the story was whether Sheehan, led by Coach Sarah Miller, could, as the 13th seed in the tourney, cap an improbable run to a state title.

At 18-6 going into the title game, Sheehan was hardly an average squad, but they were the lowest seed of the eight schools seeking state titles Saturday.

Favored Woodland High, a regional high school located in Beacon Falls, came in as the third seed, with Coach Loren Luddy leading them to a 21-3 record.

Woodland threatened from the get-go, but after an error and walk in the bottom of the first put two on, Sheeham pitcher Trinity LaValley settled down, retiring the Hawks with two strikeouts and a popup to third.

In the top of the second inning, Sheehan actually threatened first as freshman Ashlee Athan dropped a single to center off Woodland's Van Alstyne, going to second on an error. She then advanced to third on a wild pitch.

Sheehan Sophomore Lily Dandorph then walked, putting runners on the corners with no one out.

But Athan was picked off going too far off third by Woodland catcher Julia Rowley, as Dandorph stole second.

The momentum changer hurt Sheehan, as Van Alstyne settled down for the Hawks and the Titans never challenged again.

Van Alstyne survived the inning after a popup and, following an infield single by Sheehan that put runners on the corners, a strikeout to finish the inning with no runs scored.

Then the Hawks struck.

In the bottom of the second, with runners on first and second with two outs, Woodland's Rowley just missed a three-run homer on a ball that went foul.

Then she proceeded to line a ground-rule double to right-center field, putting Woodland up 1-0 and leaving runners on second and third.

Van Alstyne then helped her own cause by lining a two-run single to left, putting the Hawks up 3-0 with Van Alstyne advancing to second on the throw.

In the bottom of the third, Woodland freshman Ayla DeCrescenzo drew a one-out walk and courtesy runner Chloe Cervone stole second while running for DeCrescenzo.

With two outs, sophomore Caitlin Braun singled to left-center, scoring Cervone and making it 4-0 Woodland, with Braun advancing to second on an error.

Then the Hawks started the bottom of the fourth with consecutive singles and put the game away for good, when DeCrescenzo plated two more with a two-out double to left-center, extending Woodland's lead to 6-0.

In the top of the sixth Sheen finally threatened again when senior captain Reilly Hunter led off with a bloop single to left and, with one out, Titan junior Brooklyn Stanley slammed a long double to right, advancing Hunter to third.

Senior shortstop Ivie Archer drove in Hunter with a sacrifice fly to left, putting the Titans on the board with Sheehan still trailing 6-1.

An infield popup, however, ended Sheehan's threat with no further damage.

In the bottom of the sixth, Woodland struck back after Van Elstyne singled up the middle, plating a runner on second and extending the lead to 7-1, the eventual final score.