Granby Memorial Softball Remains Perfect

Prior her team’s game against Canton High on Wednesday, Vicki Malone, the head coach of the softball team expressed her concern with the Bears having to play their ninth game in just 15 days.

Indeed, playing so many games in such a short period of time can result in letdowns and lost focus that tend to lead to mental and physical errors, which, in turn, tend to lead to losses.

Malone’s concerns proved to be unfounded, however, as Granby Memorial was as sharp as ever and easily dispatched the Warriors 10-0 to remain perfect on the season to run their record to 9-0.

“I was surprised with this one, because it was the third game in three days, but we ended up hitting,” Malone said. “[Canton’s Morgan Scafuri] is a good pitcher. We found the holes where we had to find the holes. … I was concerned about this week. I thought once we got by Ellington, with Haddam-Killingworth or Canton, I was a little worried. But the kids came to play. They’re a really good group.”

Granby Memorial pitcher Neve Stearns continued to show that she is one of the best pitchers in the NCCC, if not Class M, by scattering four hits over seven innings while striking out nine en route to earning her second shutout of the year.

“If we can get her a couple of runs a game, we’re in every one,” Malone said.

Stearns relies less on power and more on changing speeds and locating her pitches to keep batters off balance; Wednesday was no different, as she frustrated Canton’s offense all afternoon.

“She keeps kids on their front foot; she has them guessing every pitch,” Malone said. “And that’s what we want. We want that ground ball.”

Stearns is far from a one-girl show, however, as the defense played nearly flawlessly and the offense scored in the double digits for the sixth time in nine games.

Emily Martel set the tone in the first inning with a leadoff homerun to left center to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. Granby Memorial went up 3-0 later in the first on Amy Bilodeau’s two-run single that drove in Morgan Malone (three walks, three runs) and Erin Walsh.

Haley Makuch drove in the Bears next two runs on a double in the second that chased home Morgan Malone and a fielder’s choice in the fourth that drove in Meg Nilson, giving Granby Memorial a 5-0 lead.

The Bears then scored five unearned runs in the sixth to put the game away.

Canton (2-4), for its part, did not play like it was 10 runs worse than the Bears.

“We’re trying to focus on the positives; we swung the bat well and they just didn’t find the holes,” head coach Charles Batan said. “We’ve got a lot to work on. … We’ve got a great group of kids who can do a lot better than 10-0.”

Catcher Katie Hill was called up from the junior varsity team and doubled, while Amber Batan Liz Mutch each singled.

The Bears have a bit of a break ahead, as they are scheduled to face Bolton on Tuesday on the road at 3:45 p.m., while Canton plays today at home against Stafford at 4:15 p.m.