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05/29/2016 12:00 AMThe North Branford softball team reminded everyone why it’s the top team in the Shoreline Conference by slugging its way through the league tournament on its way to capturing the crown for the second-straight season. The Thunderbirds’ run culminated with a 16-8 victory versus Coginchaug in the championship game at Old Lyme High School on May 28. Then in the Class M State Tournament, after posting a pair of dominant victories in the first two rounds, 4th-seeded North Branford saw its season end with a 5-2, 11-inning loss versus No. 5 Rocky Hill on June 2. The T-Birds finished the campaign at 24-2.
In the Shoreline Tournament final, North Branford, which went undefeated in conference play during the regular season, wasted no time in pouncing on the Blue Devils by scoring four runs in the first inning and two more in the second to take a 6-1 lead. Head Coach Nick DeLizio’s squad then put the game away by posting a nine-spot in the fourth for a 15-1 command.
“It’s unbelievable to see them persevere. Last year, we were the underdog and were shocking everyone by surprise. This year, the target was on our back all year and everyone in the Shoreline wanted to take us down, so we really had to step up our game and gear up the entire season and be ready to conquer this task at hand,” said Coach DeLizio, whose team defeated East Hampton 17-1 and Haddam-Killingworth 13-1 in the first two rounds of the tournament. “You can see the senior leadership pulling through and the team unity. Everyone is there for each other and, obviously, the best feeling as a coach is watching the team celebrate knowing the hard work and dedication they’ve been putting in all season long. That’s why you coach—to watch them celebrate. It’s so good. It puts a smile on my face when I see them battle through something and accomplish a goal.”
Senior captain catcher Sabrina LeMere had a historic day at the plate by breaking the school record for career home runs with her 14th, while also collecting career hit No. 150. All totaled, LeMere went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI on a day she learned that she’d also been named the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year for second year in a row.
“Being able to receive these accomplishments two years in a row was absolutely incredible,” said LeMere, who also set North Branford’s career hit record with 155. “I had no idea what the record was and how close I was. When Coach DeLizio and my parents told me I reached this milestone, I was so surprised, but so happy at the same time. It was an incredible feeling to find out I reached that mark.”
Along with LeMere, several other athletes contributed to North Branford’s offensive explosion. Sophomore Olivia Hemstock was 4-for-4, including a homer, with two runs scored and three RBI; junior Emily Muzyka went 2-for-2, scored two runs, and drove home one; junior Julia Haeckel went 1-for-3 with two runs and RBI; senior Meghan Golia was 2-for-4 with a double and had an RBI; and her sister and fellow senior Lindsay Golia was 2-for-4 and notched four RBI.
Lindsay Golia also went the distance on the mound and only allowed one earned run for the victory. She was selected as the Shoreline Conference Pitcher of the Year for the second-consecutive campaign.
“At the beginning of the season, our goal was to win the Shoreline Conference, so we came out ready to play and win, knowing we would have to work hard for it,” Golia said. “To be successful in the Shoreline was great. It really showed how much hard work we put in and how that pays off.”
Coginchaug (18-7) scored the game’s initial run in the top of the first before the T-Birds scored four after having two outs and nobody on in the bottom half. LeMere fired the first salvo by lacing an opposite-field solo shot to left for her record 14th homer that tied the game. Lindsay Golia later hit a two-run single and North Branford was up 4-1 after one.
In the second inning, Musyka drove home a run on sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 6-1.
North Branford then blew the doors off by sending nine across home plate in a huge fourth inning. LeMere had a two-run single, Meghan Golia hit an RBI double, and Lindsay Golia brought home two more on a single to make it 12-1. That set up Hemstock’s three-run home run that gave the T-Birds a 15-1 cushion.
LeMere later recorded her 150th career hit by singling in the fifth inning.
In addition to LeMere and Lindsay Golia, Meghan Golia was also named an All-Shoreline Conference First Team honoree for North Branford. Hemstock made the Second Team, while Muzyka was an Honorable Mention. LeMere and Lindsay Golia were additionally named the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Class M All-State Team.
Previously, in the opening round of the Shoreline Tournament, North Branford erupted for a 17-1 victory over East Hampton on May 28. LeMere led the way with four RBI, while Haeckel and Muzyka both drove home three. Both of the Golia sisters had two RBI, plus Sydney Senerchia scored four runs. Haeckel earned the win on the hill, allowing two hits and striking out 10.
The T-Birds followed that by blowing out H-K 13-1 in the semis. Lindsay Golia drove home five and LeMere had four RBI. On the mound, Golia struck out six and allowed just one hit.
After beating Coginchaug to repeat as Shoreline champs, the T-Birds opened the State Tournament on May 31 and blanked No. 29 seed Bethel 7-0 behind a no-hitter from Lindsay Golia, who fanned 15 and walked one. LeMere and Muzyka each had two hits and two RBI.
“The no-hitter and shutout were great and made me confident,” Golia said. “Moving the ball from inside to outside and using all my pitches is what worked to keep them off-balance.”
The next day, North Branford shut out No. 13 Nonnewaug 8-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. Danielle Ramada recorded three RBI, LeMere drove in two, and Muzyka had three hits and a RBI. Lindsay Golia and Haeckel combined for the shutout by striking out 12 batters and allowing two hits.
Then in the quarterfinals on June 2, North Branford and Rocky Hill were deadlocked throughout the contest. Each team scored a run in the third, but the 11th inning is when the game changed. Julie Slavin led off the frame with a single and moved to third on a bunt after the T-Birds were unable to record on out on the play. Slavin then scored on a ball hit to the second baseman, sliding under the tag to give Rocky Hill a 2-1 lead. A squeeze play made it 3-1 and Kelly Quiron followed with a single that brought home two runs for a 5-1 lead. Meghan Golia hit an RBI single to make it 5-2 in the bottom half of the inning, but that was all North Branford’s offense could muster.
“It was nice to see them fight back,” Coach DeLizio said. “We went down swinging and left it all on the field. That’s all I can ask for. I’m very proud of the girls.”
Lindsay Golia scattered nine hits over 11 innings and struck out 14 batters in the loss. The strikeouts gave her North Branford’s all-time record with 565.
“It means a lot to have the record. I wasn’t expecting it, but when Coach DeLizio told me, I was excited,” she said. “I couldn’t have done it without my amazing catcher, though. She was great at calling pitches and working with me to take down batters.”
After his team cruised through the Shoreline Conference so smoothly this season, Coach DeLizio had hoped for his club to do a little better in states. However, considering the fact that the bracket was stacked with six teams that had two losses or less, DeLizio knew that it wasn’t going to be an easy road.
“If you look at Class M this year, it’s loaded with a lot of top teams. Any team can beat anybody and every team is good,” DeLizio said. “Every game is a grind. There are really no cakewalks. You’re playing a top-10 team form the quarters on. If you win Class M, in my opinion, you’re one of the best in the state. Class M is a very talented pool of teams and difficult to go through game by game.”
Sports Editor Chris Piccirillo contributed to this story