The CT Softball Blog

MILFORD—Two pitches.

That’s all it took going into Friday’s SCC softball showdown between visiting Cheshire and host Foran to realize this was not just another softball game.

In fact, this showdown between league rivals also pitted the No. 1 team in the CT Softball Blog’s Players’ Poll (Cheshire) against the No. 1 team in the GametimeCT Media/Coaches poll (Foran).

So, when Cheshire starting pitcher Jenica Matos threw a called strike two on her second pitch of the game, she pointed at her catcher and let out a primal scream that let everybody know this game meant more than just another regular season softball contest.

Seven innings later, when the dust settled, it was the visiting Rams posting a 6-0 win over the host Lions, thereby setting up an interesting SCC campaign to come.

“Listen, that emotion is led by Jenica. She is just a true competitor to her core,” said Cheshire coach Kristine Drust. “You would think that she would take her success and she would continue to roll with it and just kind of follow that process. She is working to get better every single day. She wants more, she’s hungry for more. And that’s why you see her perform like that and her actions, when she gets a strike, because every one is so hard-earned. She deserves it.”

Matos fired a one-hitter, striking out 17 and walking just one to lead the Cheshire effort.

On offense, meanwhile, lead-off hitter Jordan McCue was 3-for-4 with two doubles, an inside-the-park home run, four RBIs and two runs scored to pace the Rams offense.

“Jordan is a freak. She is a freak. She is a spark. She is a leader,” said Drust. “She is unwavered in who she’s playing against. There’s no capabilities of her to ever be intimidated by who she’s competing against. She always feels better, best prepared, and just so confident in who she is and what she does. And you could see it. And that’s why I look at her, I go, you’re a freak. And I mean that in the most complimentary way.”

In the top of the third, the Rams struck first—and it was McCue playing a big role.

Olivia Rydzy that led off the inning with an infield single to second on a slow roller.

With two outs, McCue laced a line-drive to the gap to right center. By the time Foran had tracked down the ball and figured out where to throw it, McCue raced around third and beat the throw home for the home run and a 2-0 Rams, lead.

“I try not to think too much,” McCue said. “I know I wasn’t happy with my first at-bat (a fly-out to left field), so I just wanted to help my team. I know coach doesn’t like it when I make my own decisions, but I was pretty sure I was scoring on that play.”

With Matos on the mound, a two-run lead felt like 10.

Over the first four innings, Matos retired 12 of 13 Foran hitters, all by strikeout.

Only Abigail Corris’ infield single to second was the lone blemish again Matos That, and just two walks, one in the bottom of the sixth, one in the bottom of the seventh.

“It angers her to … And you guys can see it, right?” Drust asked? “I could tell you what she’s doing, but you guys see what she’s doing. It is on display. It’s pure sport entertainment to watch her on the mound, right?”

Cheshire, meanwhile, kept pushing across runs here and there to keep on track for the win.

Rydzy walked to open the fifth and, with two outs, would score on McCue’s double to make it a 3-0 game.

In the top of the seventh, Cheshire scored thrice to put the game away.

This time it was Blake Hall who got things going with a single to right-center.

Addy Coffey added a one-out single, pushing pinch runner Chloe Marciano all the way to third.

After Avery Miramant lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 4-0, McCue delivered another RBI double to make it a 5-0 game.

McCue would later score on a Foran error to make the Rams lead 6-0.

“We’ve been counting out the days for the past week,” McCue said. “It’s such a team effort. We have a lot of trust in each other, up and down the line-up.”

Foran, which had won 33 games in a row before Friday’s defeat, took the early season loss in stride.

“I’m really proud of both teams,” said Foran coach Gina Georgetti. “Cheshire was definitely the better team today and they did a nice job. They hit the ball, which is amazing. We have things to work on and we’re excited to see them again in the future. Everything’s going to be good.”

While McCue had the big day on top of the Cheshire line-up, Ava Pearson, Avery Radford, Blake Hall, and Addison Coffey also had hits as did Rydzy.

Corris had a yeoman’s game against the Rams, battling hard but giving up eight hits while striking out six and walking two.

The two teams will meet against on May 13 in Cheshire.

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