SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – What an incredible way to start off the spring season.
Hannah Crosby’s two-out single in the bottom of the seventh inning drove in two runs and gave Springfield an opening-day win over D-I power Mt. Anthony, 4-3 in a gem of a game for both squads.
There isn’t a player on the current Cosmos roster that has tasted victory over the Patriots until Thursday’s close win, and it definitely wasn’t easy for Andy Bladyka’s team.
Springfield grabbed an early lead as Molly Leonard crossed the plate following a hit from Julianna Albero-Levings, and the Cosmos starting pitcher, Crosby, was cruising along. She struck out 5 of the first 6 batters she faced.
Crosby got some defensive help in the third as Jenna Veysey made a shoestring grab from her 2nd base position and then threw out the next batter as the Patriots batters seemed to be getting their timing on Crosby dialed in.
“They are such a great team, I knew we had to play our best today to come away with a win,” said Crosby after the game.
MAU got on the board in the top of the fourth inning as Cat Worthington’s blast to the base of the fence in straightaway centerfield allowed her to cross the plate for a stand-up inside-the-park home run to knot things up 1-1.
Springfield had a response in their half of the inning. Haley Streeter’s triple to deep right plated Mykahla Jasinski to put Springfield ahead 2-1 after four innings played.
The top of the MAU batting order put together two hits, added a walk, plus a dribbler in the infield that wasn’t handled cleanly and allowed the visitors to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning as MAU’s starting pitcher Emilie O’Brien seemed to get stronger as the game went along.
Springfield went quiet in the next two innings, setting the stage for the dramatic seventh inning for the Cosmos.
Streeter and Veysey both worked the counts for walks, putting ducks on the pond for the Cosmos leadoff hitter Molly Leonard with one out. O’Brien got Leonard to pop out to third which brought Mycah White to the plate.
White drilled her 2-1 pitch to short and the first baseman couldn’t keep the throw in her glove as the ball dropped into the red infield dirt to load the bases for Crosby with two outs and the tension rising.
Crosby worked the count in her favor, and when a fastball came down the middle of the plate, she blasted it into left centerfield as Veysey followed Streeter across home plate for a dramatic come-from-behind win for Springfield.
“I’ve never beaten MAU before and to come from behind today is a special feeling,” said Crosby.
Crosby went the distance on the mound, grabbing the win while striking out 9 batters.
Albero-Levings, Leonard, Crosby, Arianna Cioffi and Streeter all collected hits while White grabbed 2 singles on the day.
“I am so proud of our effort today against a team that has gone to the Division 1 finals five straight years,” said coach Bladyka who is entering his 21st year at the helm. “We have some strong returning seasoned players along with a mix of first-year varsity girls which gives us a really good chemistry. This is a determined bunch and today was a heck of a start.”
IMPRESSIVE START
The season-opening win for the D-II Cosmos over the D-I Patriots comes after Mt. Anthony had beaten Springfield 15-0 and 15-1 over the previous two years. Mt. Anthony has played in the last five Vermont D-I State Championship games, winning four of them.
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