Friends' Central defeated Shipley 7-2 in extra innings to win the 2022 Friends School League Championship - PSD Photo by James Quinn
Photos/Videos: James Quinn
By: John Knebels
BRYN MAWR – It’s difficult to beat a good team once, and a major challenge doing it twice. Three times?
In the Friends School League softball championship on May 13, Friends’ Central shocked top-seed Shipley, 7-2, in eight innings for its first title since 2014 and eighth overall. Having overwhelmed the Phoenix by scores of 11-1 and 9-2 during the regular season, Shipley was unable to drain a softball trey.
“The team worked hard all season to get to the finals,” said Friends’ Central coach Steve Colucci. “It was rewarding to see their hard work pay off and bring home the championship.”
Facing a team that finished 11-0 in the league, the Phoenix needed to contribute on all three phases of the game – pitching, hitting, and defense.
Brianna Keenan took care of the pitching. The sophomore standout allowed a two-run homer to junior Cassandra Farrell, two runs, five hits, two walks, and one hit batter while striking out seven.
Her masterful mix of pitches kept Shipley off balance. In the seventh, with the season on the line, Keenan ignored what would have been understandable pangs of anxiety and induced a lazy pop out and two harmless grounders.
FSL 2022 Softball Championship Highlights - Friends Central vs. Shipley - by James Quinn for PSD
“I approach every game to win,” said Keenan. “I play for a high-level club softball team that trains for every type of situation. However, softball is a team sport, and I focus on my jobs of pitching and hitting.
“We were pumped up as a team. I was laser focused and in a zone to do my part to win the game. The team played better defensively and we took advantage of the opportunity that were presented to us.”
With the Phoenix trailing 2-0, Keenan led off the fourth with a walk and ultimately stole home to cut the deficit in half. In the sixth, she stroked a one-out double and stole home again to tie the game.
In the eighth, Friends’ Central picked an ideal time to find its offense.
Senior Aminah Alwyn led off with a walk, one of 10 batters to come to the plate. Along with Alwyn, junior Gemma Kent, Keenan, sophomore Maria Morsa, and senior Bella Lederman scored runs aided by consecutive RBI singles from Morsa, Lederman, and sophomore Ona Stocovaz.
“We were just getting pumped up that inning and realized that now is the time and that everyone needed to get the job done and we did,” said aforementioned shortstop Maria Morsa, who contributed two highlight defensive plays. “I saw that there was a runner on second and that it would be a good time to do some situational hitting and drive it to the right side.
“Our energy was up and we knew we had a job to do. Our defense was very key from the start of the game to the end of the game. The hitting really came through and helped us come out on top, especially the small-ball plays with the bunts, which kicked off that big inning.”
In Shipley’s home eighth, junior Zoe Manaras led off the single before a pop out and strikeout set the stage for the final out – a grounder to freshman first baseman Grace Kenworthy.
After stopping the roller and a brief bobble, Kenworthy stepped on the bag. Friends’ Central was the official FSL champion.
“Making the last out of the game was beyond memorable,” said Kenworthy. “When it popped out of my glove for a second, I reminded myself that I knew what I was doing. I knew my team had my back, kept my composure, and finished the game.”
FCS sophomore pitcher Brianna Keenan said her team put in the work and deserved the championship victory - PSD Video by James Quinn
FCS junior Chloe Smith leaves lasting words of advice for her underclassmen teammates - PSD Video by James Quinn
Among the sentimental story lines for Friends’ Central’s community was the mutual support of both the softball and baseball teams.
Both squads were competing with Shipley for the FSL crown. The young men were defending champions; the young women faced a more arduous task.
One day after softball’s shining moment, baseball took care of business in convincing fashion with a 12-0 victory.
“We were very excited to have won against the same school,” said Lederman. “Their entire team came to cheer us on at Shipley, so we all tried our best to make it to their game as well.
“I believe the mutual support played a significant role in both of our successes. It was a real bonding moment within Friends’ Central sports. They brought so much energy to our game and it really lifted us up.”
Friends’ Central senior slugger Jon Aman concurred.
“We showed out to their game and cheered them on and they did the same for us, so it was really cool to have both teams rooting for each other while both coming out on top against Shipley,” said Aman. “And it is a little sweeter that both teams beat Shipley because they’re our rivals and they knocked us out of the playoffs freshman year.
“But I would say it definitely adds to the excitement that both teams won, and I’m proud of what both teams accomplished this year. There is great camaraderie between both teams, so it was awesome.”
Friends' Central Celebration Gallery - PSD Photos by James Quinn
While the baseball game was pretty much over by the second inning, the softball contest resembled a tug-of-war amid muddy landscape.
“At least for me, the concept of winning the Friends League championship didn’t set until the score was 7-2, and it was the bottom of the eighth with two outs,” said Lederman. “I wholeheartedly trusted my team to hold Shipley in the last half inning, but it didn’t feel real until that last out. I’m still in shock, but even more so, I’m so incredibly proud of my team.”
Lederman paused.
“It was truly a magical moment for all,” she said. “It truly was a beautiful game.”
(Contact John Knebels at jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)
