BY DENNIS BROWN
Torrington High softball coach Maryann Musselman made one thing clear Monday when she said, “We want a ring and we want a banner.”
A win against top-seeded Fitch in the Class L semifinals is the only thing that separates Torrington from playing in its first state title game in school history.
After shuting out Brookfield, 2-0, and Pomperaug, 3-0, in the second round and quarterfinal round of the tournament, the Raiders will play their first semifinal game of the 21st century at DeLuca Field in Stratford tonight at 7.
[This post contains video, click to play]
[This post contains video, click to play]
It won’t be easy. Fitch is undefeated on the season at 26-0, including a win over defending Class LL champion Southington to snap the Knights’ 77-game win streak. Fitch was also the 2015 Class L runner-up as well as 2014 state champion.
Fitch is led by Caroline Taber, the state’s Gatorade Softball Player of the Year.
“Fitch is not a for sure. It’s going to be a fight, but these girls are so ready,” Musselman said. “I think we’re peaking at the right time. Sometimes big dogs make mistakes and little dogs make big plays.”
The No. 4 Raiders (17-5) have had much success of their own over the past five years, including two undefeated regular seasons in 2013 and 2014, and four quarterfinal appearances.
“We’ve always had holes (in the past). Not that we don’t make mistakes, but I don’t see any holes on this year’s team,” Musselman said. “We are not shaky. We are solid all the way through the order.”
Much of this season’s prosperity has been a product of junior Ali DuBois’ great pitching performances.
“Obviously, we couldn’t have done this without Ali, but she knows that she couldn’t have done this without her teammates,” Musselman said. “This is not a one-person team. When Ali allows a hit, we have a solid squad to back her up.”
DuBois and company swept Naugatuck, beating them in two regular season games and in the NVL tournament quarterfinals. They also beat Woodland twice by a combined score of 19-6. They shut out Watertown, 3-0, downed St. Paul, 14-2, and lost a nail-biter, 2-1, against NVL champion Holy Cross.
The Raiders had an eye-opening performance early in the season as they lost, 5-2, to Southington in nine innings. They also won 10 games in a row to finish off the regular season.