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07/06/2014 12:00 AMEven though Branford softball had a small team of just 13 athletes, the Hornets showed that they had big hearts while forming concrete bonds this spring.
Chuck Reale’s squad proved that it was never out while down in 2014, a trait exemplified by the Hornets’ trademark triumph—a 4-3 walk-off victory versus North Haven that saw Branford rally from a two-run deficit in the final frame with Jordyn Brecciaroli’s bunt plating Tara Dering for the winning run.
Coach Reale said the dramatic win against the Indians, along with his team’s eight other victories, stemmed from the fact that his players never relented, even in the most precarious of situations.
“The collective mental attitude of this group was always positive and we were always unified. These girls believed that no game was over until the last out was made,” said Reale, whose team went 9-11 overall and 5-3 in the Oronoque before losing to Berlin in states. “This team had a consistent approach to the way it approached the game, which was to be workmanlike, blue-collar, and to always grind it out. It was a special group of people to work with.”
Leading the charge were the Hornets’ two senior captains in first baseman Dering and designated hitter/player Cassidy Murphy. Dering led the team with 25 hits, a .385 batting average, a .429 on-base percentage, and a .461 slugging percentage. She also made just one error in 162 chances for a .994 fielding percentage this spring and committed only two errors in her Hornets’ career. Consequently, Dering earned All-Oronoque honors for the first time this spring. Murphy endured a shoulder injury that kept her from catching full-time, although she still notched 19 hits while hovering around the .300 mark all season. Murphy collected her second straight All-Oronoque honor and, much like Dering, was an ideal captain, according to Coach Reale.
“I can’t say enough about how Tara and Cassidy led the team,” said Reale. “They were outstanding captains in terms of their leadership and their relationships with the other players. They had all the intangibles.”
Branford featured three other seniors in pitcher Megan Ferraro, center fielder Sydney DeGoursey, and outfielder Jamie Ardito. Ferraro pitched all four years at Branford and capped her career with a 2.39 ERA while walking just 11 in 85 innings. She won three games this spring and took a handful of hard-luck losses. One big win Ferraro did record was a 4-1 victory against Lyman Hall that avenged a prior loss to the Trojans and sealed the Hornets’ spot in the state tourney. Meanwhile, DeGoursey had 14 hits for a .269 average and also earned a spot to compete in the Scholar Athlete Classic. For Ardito, Reale said she “brought heart and soul” to the squad.
“Megan was like ice water out there. She never showed emotion. She just took the ball no matter what and gave everything she had. Her three wins don’t tell the whole story because she pitched well enough to win some other games,” Reale said. “Syd was a hard worker who brought a lot of spirit and set a good example with how she became a better player by making adjustments at the plate. And Jamie would do anything to help this team in any situation. She was always positive, always part of what was going on, and worked well with everyone on the team.”
Regarding next season’s seniors, third baseman Brecciaroli and shortstop Nicole Carrano will guide the club as captains. Including the winning bunt against North Haven, which Coach Reale said was her call, Brecciaroli had 15 hits this season. In her third year as the starting shortstop, Carrano batted .269 and led the team with three homers en route to an All-Oronoque distinction.
“We had a good core of juniors who I’m looking forward to working with next year,” said Reale. “Jordyn and Nicole are both gamers with great knowledge of game situations who will bring a levelheaded approach to their captaincy.”
Also in Branford’s junior class this spring was pitcher Julia Rosenberg, who went 6-2 with a 1.04 ERA while fanning 54 in 72 innings. She is slated to take the reins as the Hornets’ top hurler next year. Fellow junior Cynthia Lerman, a second baseman, made a great debut on the varsity level by posting 21 hits for a .309 average to go with 17 runs scored and 14 steals in as many attempts. Junior catcher Marissa Guglielmi had 18 hits for a .327 clip and led the Hornets with 12 RBI, including the tying two-run single in the seventh inning of the North Haven win that set up Brecciaroli’s bunt. Jocelyn Bruchman had some key pinch hits off the bench for a .281 average in her junior campaign.
Additionally, sophomore Matlida Kreider was Branford’s starting left fielder and batted .303. Fellow sophomore outfielder Katie Massey showed solid defensive skills, according to Reale.
Reale added that senior Anna Broggi did a stellar job as the Hornets’ statistician and also complimented the efforts of new varsity assistant Marisa Ceneri, plus JV coach Katie Rebeschi.