Green Hornets Defeat Rival North Glen, Take NCCGSL Championship

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By Colin Murphy

The 14U Green Hornets club softball team won the North County Community Girls Softball League Championship with a 5-3, come-from-behind victory over the North Glen Yellow Jackets at North Glen Fields on June 18. Severna Park won all five of their playoff games and finished the season with a championship and an outstanding 17-1 record.

Head Coach Steve Montagnino was proud of the resolve his girls showed in finishing on top of the super-competitive NCCGSL. “They never quit. No matter how far down they may be or how far ahead they may be, they play smart and they play hard,” said Montagnino.

Smart, hard play was needed against a strong playoff field. The softball gods ensured an immediately interesting storyline to the playoffs, as Severna Park drew rival North Glen in the first round, setting up a rematch with the Yellow Jackets team that handed the Green Hornets their only loss of the season back in mid May.

In the playoff opener on June 11, the Green Hornets jumped out to a big lead over North Glen and never let up, winning by a score of 11-2. The victory sent the Yellow Jackets to the loser’s bracket, making a rubber match possible only if both sides made it to the championship game.

After the first-round victory, the Green Hornets took the next step toward the title game with a 21-2 drubbing of the Lake Shore Blackout, also on June 11.

In the next round on June 15, the GORC Wildcats presented a formidable challenge for the Hornets. GORC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Green Hornets were able to recover a run in the bottom of the second to narrow the gap to 2-1. GORC responded with three runs of their own in the top of the third to take a 5-1 lead, and again the Green Hornets responded, this time exploding for five runs in the bottom of the third to take a 6-5 lead. Powered by a three-for-three afternoon from catcher Hailey Shipley and a two-for-three day from outfielder Lauren Ravekes, the Green Hornets went on to edge GORC by a score of 10-9.

Severna Park’s offensive surge continued in the semifinal against the NG Green Hornets on June 17, as they won by a score of 11-1 to set up the rubber match with North Glen, this time for all the marbles.

Starting pitcher Jenny Lang posted four strong innings, keeping the North Glen batters out of rhythm while allowing just three runs. After Severna Park took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, North Glen clawed their way back into the contest to take a 3-2 lead after four innings. In the top of the sixth, the Green Hornets put together a clutch rally to plate three runs and take a 5-3 lead. Robin Buxton pitched the final three innings for Severna Park, closing down North Glen in the seventh to secure the victory and the championship.

“I just love this team,” said Ravekes of her squad. “In practice we work hard, and we really brought it together for the playoffs.”

With the championship, the Green Hornets completed a playoff run that saw them outscore opponents by an average of more than eight runs per game. The entire roster of Shipley, Ravekes, Lang, Buxton, Elizabeth Montagnino, Lauren Johnson, Meg McPherson, Bailey Benedict, Sydney Tracey, Gabby Walters, Mary Leah Corlett, Kimberly Stringer, and Courtney Sullivan pounded out an eye-popping 58 runs over five playoff games.

“They played fantastic,” said Coach Montagnino of his team’s playoff performance. “They’re patient, they’re strong, they play with emotion, and they’re very spirited. [Assistant Coach] Brian Lang has been great, and the parents have given us tremendous support. I’m amazed at how hard these girls work and how eager they are to become better softball players. They’ve improved greatly and they've gotten better and better each day. They’re just great to be around.”

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