Sharlotte Stazinski tosses gem, leads Walpole to 1-0 win and Div. 2 state title
AMHERST — The numbers were simply staggering for Walpole’s Sharlotte Stazinski in this postseason and it all added up to a historic run for the Timberwolves.
The junior completed a perfect postseason with her fifth consecutive shutout as Walpole won the program’s first state title, 1-0, over Westfield in the Division 2 final.
“It feels like I’m still dreaming if I’m honest,” Walpole coach Rachel Sprague said. “We knew that we had to hang in there and keep fighting. But we wouldn’t have won this game without our defense. It was phenomenal.”
It was a pitcher’s duel of the highest order as Westfield’s (20-4) Shea Hurley was every bit the match for Stazinski.
The Bombers’ ace scattered five hits to the two allowed by Stazinski. But it was one bad toss that proved to be the decisive moment.
After Westfield loaded the bases with two outs against Stazinski in the top of the fourth and failed to score, the Timberwolves (22-1) took advantage of the one good chance they got against Hurley in their half of the inning.
Grace Todd and Caroline Daley hit back-to-back singles with one out to put runners on the corners. Stazinski followed by a bouncer back to the mound that saw Todd erased at home for the second out.
But with Susie McAdams up, Hurley saw one get to the back stop and Daley slid home for a 1-0 lead.
“We had to keep pushing and finally we were able to get one across,” Sprague said.
That 1-0 deficit might as well as felt like 10-0 for the Bombers to try and over come because Stazinski wasn’t giving them much to work with.
After retiring the first 11 in the game ahead of her rough patch in the fourth, Stazinski completed her effort by setting down the final 10 Bomber hitters in order. And when Ali LaPanne’s fly ball to right settled in McAdams’ glove, the Timberwolves could finally celebrate.
“Sharlotte is just so composed out there,” Sprague said. “And she’s just so tough. Something like what she’s done is just unbelievable. It doesn’t happen at this level often.”