CASTLETON — BFA-St. Albans softball pitcher Megan Gonyeau has a spectacular right arm. The Comets’ other pitcher Irie Shedd has a remarkable left arm.
One facet of pitching that they shared in Friday’s 2-1 victory over Colchester in the Division I state championship game was the mental component.
They were each in the pressure cooker and their composure helped to get them out of the jams.
It was in the third inning when Athalie Fane-Cushing got a base hit against Gonyeau and scored on two errors on the same play to slice the Comets’ lead to 2-1.
Then, the Lakers looked as though they might have the makings of a big inning. Elle Robnson had reached on the errors, Taylor Davidson drew a walk and Harlow Hier reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases with no outs.
Clearly, the Lakers had Gonyeau on the ropes.
But the hard-throwing senior struck out the next two batters and got the following hitter to pop the ball up for the inning-ending out.
It was escapism that would have made Houdini proud.
“I just focus on what I am doing,” Gonyeau said. “I know that I have a really good team behind me and that helps.”
After Gonyeau pitched the first four innings, Shedd came in to finish up.
She, too, was in a heap of trouble. The Lakers had the tying run 60 feet away with only one out after Elle Robinson ripped a triple to right field.
But Shedd induced an foul infield pop up for the second out and then ended the game with her fifth strikeout.
“I am just cheering them on and just trying to support them,” their catcher Nora Tatro said.
The Comets scored their runs in each of the first two innings.
Chatham Brouillette drew a walk to lead off the first and Tatro executed the sacrifice bunt to move Brouillette up to second. Jillian Smith drove Brouillette home with a sharp single to left.
A walk also led to the run in the second. Gonyeau worked Destiny Hendy for the walk and courtesy runner Julia Hungerford stole second. She was able to come all the way home on Emma Parah’s infield single.
BFA-St. Albans coach Bert Berthiaume, who figures to become the only Vermont high school softball with 600 career victories early next season, said it was decided before the game to go four innings with Gonyeau and three with Shedd.
“It was just a gut feeling,” Berthiaume said.
The Lakers lost 8-3 and 6-0 to the Comets during the regular season, so Colchester coach Mat Robinson was proud that his team had the tying run at third base in the seventh.
“We showed that we can play with them today. I am extremely proud of our team,” Robinson said.
It was the second straight state crown for the Comets and the 35th consecutive victory for the program.
Tatro went out to accept the state championship plaque to a thunderous applause.
Hendy went the distance for the Lakers and held the hard hitting BFA lineup to just two hits, one in each of the first two frames. She struck out five and walked four.
Colchester batters fanned 12 times — Gonyeau striking out seven and Shedd five.
Leading Colchester’s seven-hit attack was Robinson with a triple and a single, Davidson with a double and and Alaina Cheeseman with two singles.
“We have great coaching and a great community,” Gonyeau said.
And two pitchers who know how to deal with pressure situations.