The CT Softball Blog

BRISTOL—The first time you see Lucy Bastiaanse, you may have to glance at the roster to make sure you have spelled her last name correctly.

It is one of those names that takes a couple of tries. Bastiaanse. Double “a.” Easy to stumble over.

Then the game starts.

By the time the final out is recorded, nobody is asking how to spell Lucy Bastiaanse anymore.

They remember her name just fine.

That is what happens when you are the player who sets the tone for one of the best Little League softball teams in the country.

Bastiaanse is Bristol’s catalyst from the leadoff spot, the player trusted to begin every game, work deep counts, get on base and immediately create problems for the opposing defense. It is a role she embraces.

“I think I have a really big role in being a lead off hitter because the lead off hitter always gets the game started,” Bastiaanse said. “It’s just a big role to take on.”

The role goes well beyond simply swinging at the first good pitch.

Her approach is almost clinical.

“I wait for my pitch,” she said. “When I see my pitch, I obviously hit it well. Waiting for my pitch gives my team good looks and noticing the strike zone for the ump at every beginning of the game.”

That patience has become contagious throughout Bristol’s lineup.

Teammate Makinnley Whitlock sees it every game.

“She sees a pitch that she wants and she knows that she’s going to hit it,” Whitlock said. “She’ll get on base pretty much every single time.”

Asked if Bastiaanse is the perfect leadoff hitter for Bristol, Whitlock did not hesitate.

“Definitely,” she said.

And getting on base is only the beginning.

Once Bastiaanse reaches first, she becomes another challenge entirely.

She enjoys every opportunity to steal a base, stretch a single into two or pressure a defense into making a mistake.

“It’s one of the fun parts,” she said with a smile.

Keeva Knowles says Bastiaanse’s impact extends far beyond the basepaths.

“She’s definitely someone who likes to put work in,” Knowles said. “She’ll stay after practice and put in a lot of work to be able to hit a lot and also be very good at fielding.”

That work ethic has become an example for the rest of the team.

“She’s definitely a very good leader and very good inspiration for the rest of our team to also put in hard work to succeed,” Knowles added.

If there was a single moment that introduced Bastiaanse to a wider audience, it came during Bristol’s unforgettable comeback against Rhode Island in the New England Regional championship game.

Trailing late, Bristol needed a spark.

Bastiaanse provided one.

After battling through a seven-pitch at-bat, she launched an inside-the-park home run that instantly changed the atmosphere.

“After fouling off and seeing the seventh pitch, I knew I obviously needed to get on base to get the game started again and get the momentum back up,” Bastiaanse said.

Once the ball reached the fence, there was no hesitation.

“I knew I was just going to go home with it,” she said.

The home run did far more than put a run on the scoreboard.

“It brought everyone’s spark back up,” Bastiaanse said. “It just got the game going.”

Her teammates felt exactly the same way.

“We all got back up,” pitcher Ava Lefurgey said. “We never lost hope. We just kept cheering.”

Lefurgey believes Bastiaanse’s value goes well beyond one swing.

“She definitely gets everything going,” Lefurgey said. “We all have trust in her and she can hit it every time.”

For Bastiaanse, however, individual accomplishments are secondary.

The dream has always been about sharing this journey with the 11 girls beside her, her friends. Her teammates.

“It’s amazing just to be with these 11 girls,” she said. “It’s always been a dream for us to go to the World Series.”

As Bristol heads to Greenville, North Carolina, Bastiaanse isn’t talking about statistics or home runs.

“It’s just going to be the experience,” she said. “It’s been our dream, so we’re going to play our best.”

That is probably all Bristol needs from its table setter.

Remember the name.

Not because it is difficult to spell.

Because after watching Lucy Bastiaanse play, it becomes pretty hard to forget.

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