Granby Memorial Softball Advances to Class M Semifinals

Granby Memorial High softball head coach Vicki Malone is going home.

Indeed, with the Bears’ 5-1 victory over No. 11 Griswold in the quarterfinals of the state Class M tournament on Monday in Granby, No. 3 Granby Memorial earned a date against Malone’s alma mater, No. 2 Waterford, in today’s semifinal game in West Haven.

Malone won two state titles while playing shortstop for Waterford in the mid-1980s before going on to play softball at UConn. She couldn’t be more thrilled at the prospect of facing her former team.

“This is a dream come true for me,” Malone said. “I can’t wait to play them. I want to beat them.  This is the dream right here. I’m psyched. I wanted this so bad. I know how they play and I play like them. I was trained by them. I’m ready. I’m so psyched to have the opportunity. They’re a class act.”

To get the opportunity, the Bears had to overcome a game Griswold (19-4) team and a steady rain to advance to the semifinals.

The rain made it particularly difficult for Granby Memorial starting pitcher Neve Stearns, who relies on finesse more than power. The wet ball removed several pitches that require spin, namely her curve and screwball, from her arsenal.

“We were going primarily with a fastball and she’s not really too confident in that, but she buckled down and hit her spots and she came up pretty big,” Malone said.

Indeed, Stearns, benefitting from two double plays, allowed just one run on five hits and seven walks. She struck out four batters.

On offense, timely hitting was again the name of the game for Granby Memorial.

Haley Makuch, who is looking more comfortable at the plate, got things going with a one-out RBI single in the first inning.

Emily Martel gave Granby Memorial some breathing room in the bottom of the second with a two-out double that drove in two runs to give the Bears a 3-0 lead. It was yet another clutch hit an a season full of them.

“The timely hitting is insane,” Malone said. “I’m moving the runners and I’m just hoping for that hit. ... They’re being patient, too. Earlier in the year we were anxious and we weren’t swinging at good pitches. My big hitters are waiting for their pitch.”

Griswold got one back in the top of the third when Kirsten Drobiak scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded and one out. The Wolverines ran themselves out of a big inning, however, when Elizabeth Olszewski tried to score from second on the same play after the throw from catcher Sam Groskritz got behind Stearns, who was covering home. Olszewski was cut down by Stearns who picked up the ball and fired home to Groskritz, who applied the tag for the second out.

Granby Memorial added some insurance in the bottom of the third when Amy Bilodeau knocked in Makuch with an RBI single to make it 4-1.

Stearns worked herself into a jam in the top of the fourth when she walked the first two batters.

But she came back with a strikeout and induced a ground ball to second baseman Morgan Malone, who started a tag-out, throw-out double play to end the inning.

Stearns worked her way out of trouble in the top of the fifth and sixth as well.

Granby Memorial scored one more run in the bottom of the sixth, when Ellie Bourque raced home on an error.

Griswold head coach Rick Arremony said that he was happy with how far his team advanced in the state tournament.

“That’s about as good as our team is: a quarterfinal run,” Arremony said. “I’m proud the way they’ve made it.”

For Granby Memorial, however, it’s on to the semifinals.

“Can you believe it? I’m so excited,” Malone said. “I knew they were talented enough, but I’m so happy to be one of four teams in Class M. I’m absolutely proud of these kids. A couple more to go.”

Correction: the original article referenced Vicki Malone's alma mater as Watertown, not Waterford. The Granbys Patch regrets the error.