SHA Takes State Softball Crown

For the first time in school history, Sacred Heart Academy has won a CIAC state softball championship.

The 23rd ranked Pacers beat top ranked Seymour 4-3 last night at Frank Biondi Field in West Haven to win the Class M crown, setting off a huge celebration on the field for the team and its enthusiastic fans.

“We believed in ourselves, we never gave up and never quit,” Pacers coach Ray Ramelli said. “We beat a class team, a great team and now we’re state champions.”

Pacers catcher Angelika Stamos, whose two run double in the fifth inning produced the winning runs, was named tournament mvp.

“We’re a great team. We work together so well. I’ve never been so proud of a team in my life. It was so nerve wracking, so exciting,” she said.

Stamos’s winning hit came off of Steph Burt, Seymour’s star senior pitcher, who came into the game with a 15-0 record. Stamos laced a Burt fastball beyond the outfielder, two runs scored, the Pacers regained the lead and never relinquished it.

“I go up to bat and try and be aggressive and that’s what came out of it,” Stamos said.

Seymour came into the game 25-1, its only loss to Oxford on May 10. It defeated East Catholic 1-0 in the semifinals in eight innings to reach the championship game. Sacred Heart defeated Rocky Hill 5-2 in the semis and was ready to take on the top ranked team.

They scored two runs in the top of the first to take an early lead, with third baseman Linsey DeDemonico’s triple knocking in shortstop Maegan Rodriguez, who singled. A ground out by first baseman Katie Winkle scored DeDemonico.

The Wildcats scored a run in the bottom of the first and two in the third to take the lead, with catcher Maggie Crocamo knocking in two of the runs with singles and Burt knocking in the other with a double.

Pacers freshman pitcher Molly Flowers, who struck out 14 and was invincible against Rocky Hill, wasn’t quite so dominant against the strong hitting Wildcats. But she bounced back with a 1-2-3 inning in the fourth and shut out the Wildcats for the remainder of the game to get the win.

Flowers struck out seven and mixed in a few change ups with her dominating fast balls that floated to the plate and confused the Wildcats hitters, who missed them badly.

Sacred Heart outhit Seymour 10 to 7. Stamos led the way with three hits, DeDominico, Rodriguez and Winkle had two apiece.

“All tournament we’ve been hitting, it’s been great,” Ramelli said. But he attributed the win to his star pitcher. “We have Molly and they didn’t,” he proclaimed. And the Pacers are the state champions.