GHS Softball Ends Regular Season With Bang

GHS softball seniors Molly Doherty, Rayah Snyder, and Natalie Lessard helped guide the Guardians to a dozen wins in the regular season this spring.

Glastonbury High School’s softball team shook off a Senior Night loss to RHAM last Wednesday, rebounding with a convincing 14-7 victory over Simsbury to close the regular season with a dozen wins.
           
Before losing 5-2 to RHAM, seniors Molly Doherty, Rayah Snyder, and Natalie Lessard were honored and, following the disappointing defeat, the trio was eager to put the performance behind them.
           
Doherty said starting quicker and remaining positive was the key to turning the corner. 
           
“If we get our energy going, we get our bats going,” added Doherty. “We had a good game against Newington and that is because the whole time we were up against the fence and we were having fun.” 
           
RHAM senior Hadley Marchand pitched a complete-game, striking out ten to preserve a 5-2 victory.
           
Trailing 5-0, Snyder got two back when she doubled to center, sending home Taylor Page and Lessard. 
           
But the Guardians managed only two hits the rest of the way. 
           
Snyder said the team is at their best when they are focused on the same goal, adding, “It’s a mix of relying on yourself and relying on the team. Know that you can get the job done, but also know that the people behind you can get the job done just the same.”
           
Head coach Karen Costes noted the team has struggled to find “timely hits” in the losses, stranding a total of 16 runners on base in team’s last two defeats (RHAM and Windsor) of the regular season.
           
Those timely hits showed up against Simsbury, as the Guardian scattered a total of 14 hits and scored five runs in the fourth inning to pull away from the Trojans at GHS last Friday.
           
Lessard connected on four hits, scoring three runs, and junior Lily Woodworth drove in four runs on three hits to lead the Guardians offensive explosion. It was the ninth time this spring the team scored 10 or more runs in a game.  
           
The win over Simsbury also marked the senior’s final regular season game at GHS. 
           
It’s a group that lost their initial high school season due to the Covid-19 cancellation and enters the state tournament knowing that each game could be their last. 
           
“It’s important that you take every moment and don’t take it for granted,” stated Lessard. “We lost our freshman year, so we never know what’s going to happen. We have to make sure we are ready.”
           
Costes said despite losing a year of high school experience, the three seniors “hit the ground running” as sophomores, each playing roles on the varsity team over the past three springs.
           
“They didn’t make any excuses and they learned everything they could,” added Costes. “They all have an ability to learn things quickly and they appreciate that any minute you don’t know when your last game could be. They certainly have a better appreciation for that.” 
           
Snyder, a University of Connecticut softball commit, has been a captain since the first day she stepped onto the field at GHS as a sophomore. 
           
Following back-to-back all-state seasons at shortstop, Snyder is well on her way to a third all-state selection and said her and the other two seniors have preached to the younger players the importance of taking advantage of the here and now.  
           
“We stressed that every moment, every pitch we need to give 110%,” added Snyder. “Your senior year comes faster than you think.”
           
With the regular season in the rear view mirror, the team now sets their sights on the Class LL tournament that starts next week. 
           
Costes said the team has all the tools to compete in the tourney, now it’s about maintaining consistency and keeping the right mindset. 
           
“I put a lot of stock into the mental aspect of this game,” stated Costes. “Mechanically we are good enough, but we have to be mentally tough. When we’re not successful, we have to be mentally tough enough to bounce back.” 
           
For the seniors, the state tourney is the final chance to represent the program they’ve sacrificed for and leave an impression on the next generation of Guardians. 
           
“It’s weird because I am leaving the sport behind, so I am trying to get [the younger players] to want it more because when you’re younger you don’t realize how little time you have,” stated Doherty, who will attend Michigan State University.
           
Lessard called the team a “close-knit group”, adding, “When we get the energy up, it’s a fun atmosphere.”
           
​Check ciacsports.com for a complete list state tournament schedules and results.