On Wednesday, Fieldston’s varsity softball team brought home the state championship for the second year in a row. Last year, Fieldston beat Rye Country Day 4-3 in the finals. This year, Coach Stefanie Gozdziewski led Fieldston to beat the Long Island Lutherans 6-0 at Manhattanville College to bring home the title. Throughout the game itself it didn’t seem like the Long Island Lutherans had a chance, but prior to the game, it was a completely different story. Both teams assumed it would be a competitive game because the Long Island Lutherans had won against Holy Child – the only team Fieldston lost to – earlier in the season and had lost to Rye Country Day, a team Fieldston beat 9-5 earlier in the season.
Savannah Stern (V) commented that the team “got off to a fast start, scoring 3 runs in our first inning. Our pitching and defense was really solid. We added a few more runs along the way and everyone contributed. It was a great team effort and the perfect finish to a great season. I already miss everyone.”
Fieldston had some great plays throughout the game. At one point, the score was 4-0 with Fieldston in the lead and the Lutherans were up at bat. There was one out and they got a base hit with a runner on first base. Their batter then crushed the ball over the center fielder’s head, Alexa Mendel (V). Savannah Stern (V), shortstop, then ran out to short center field so Mendel could throw a relay throw. Stern threw the ball to the catcher on a fly, who caught it with ease. This whole time, the runner on first was circling the bases, dashing towards the Lutherans’ first scorer. Catcher Kat Gilroy (VI) then tagged the runner out at the plate, showcasing the team’s wonderful cohesiveness on the field.
Carolyn Susman (VI), one of the captains of the team, hit an impressive triple straight down the right field line on her last bat with the team to end her Fieldston career on a great note.
But the team’s great season was not only due to how swiftly and effectively the players worked together on the field. A very close team, they have each created personal nicknames for each other and their laughter during practice could be heard all the way up to upper field. This year’s Fieldston Varsity softball team was a marvel during games, and they had an unmatched spirit off the field to boot.
