READING — Sharlotte Stazinski is dominating the sport of firsts.
Following a stellar freshman season from the circle for Walpole final spring, the younger pitcher soared within the inaugural A Shot For Life Softball Pitcher’s Challenge by taking dwelling the crown Sunday afternoon at Austin Prep. Stazinski completed within the top-three in every of the three mini-games that made up the problem, which was yet one more ASFL extension in its grand efforts to construct group and lift cash for most cancers analysis.
That included a first-place end within the nine-hole mini-game proper off the bat, setting the tone in opposition to the 11 different pitchers collaborating en path to a first-place rating of six factors. Taunton’s Samantha Lincoln got here in second with seven factors, previewing seemingly one other tight end to comply with within the ASFL Softball Home Run Derby later within the day.
Combining with the baseball challenges from Saturday, the group aided a fundraiser gathering over $80,000.
“It feels good,” stated Stazinski, who wasn’t anticipating to carry out in addition to she did. “I really wanted to be a part of this. It raises money for cancer, it’s a really good cause. … I’m really grateful I can help other people by raising money for them.”
The first of its variety in softball inside ASFL, pitchers had been examined in how they may work the corners of the strike zone within the 9-hole mini-game, their energy within the lengthy toss-like vary finder mini-game, and had some enjoyable pitching down pins in a bowling mini-game. The rating pitchers completed every contest with was given a degree worth, and the bottom cumulative rating received.
Stazinski and Lincoln battled intently in all three contests, with Stazinski’s 30 factors over the three rounds of nine-hole, edging Morgan Barmash’s (Woburn) 27 factors and Lincoln’s 25. They tied for third within the vary finder behind a sudden demise end between winner Abby Bettencourt (Peabody) and Riley Quirk (Wachusett), all earlier than Lincoln claimed the bowling problem with 67, forward of Stazinski’s 44 for second.
Ilene Rickard of Methuen additionally impressed with a competition-best 13-point spherical in nine-hole-hole, and Alyx Rossi (Austin Prep) was constant all through to take third place general.
After a number of years of getting the house run derby, ASFL founder and CEO Mike Slonina was pleased to lastly get this competitors rolling for softball.
“We took the best home run hitters from before, but we were missing so many great players, great people,” he stated. “We just didn’t have a home for them because they’re not home run hitters. So we wanted to create another avenue.”
Outside of the competitors itself, Slonina was as soon as once more happy with how one other new layer of ASFL got here collectively. Not solely from the tip of elevating almost $100,000, but in addition in bringing in 12 new gamers and integrating them into the ASFL household, in addition to advancing the model by fundraising and extra concerned sponsorship.
“This was the evolution of our ASFL baseball and softball department, this was coming,” he stated. “The brand took a big step this year. … We’re inventing the wheel, teaching (the players) for the first time how to do all this stuff and they’re also getting to know us still. There was a little bit of warm-up period for the first 20 minutes, but then they loosened up.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com