Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Muraskin pitches Springs Charter to third straight title
VERO BEACH — Ally Muraskin raced off the mound and jumped into the arms of her catcher, Gianna Boccagno … one last time.
The Coral Springs Charter softball team made history Saturday.
Coming back from a one-run deficit, the Panthers defeated Eustis 2-1 in the Class 5A state championship game a Historic Dodgertown to claim their third consecutive state title.
They’re the first softball program from Broward County to win three straight.
“It feels amazing, just knowing we have what it takes to do what no other team has done,” Boccagno said. “There are so many teams in Broward County, so many great teams.
“We have such a special group of girls. Sixteen girls. That’s it. That’s all it took to do this three times.”
It was Boccagno’s single with two outs in the top of the sixth inning that scored Shannon Doherty with the go-ahead run. Two batters earlier, Amanda Flynn scored the tying run on a bunt by Lindsey Garcia.
Now working with a lead, the game was in the hands of Muraskin … and she wasn’t about to give it up.
“After I got those two runs … I’ve never been so excited,” Muraskin said. “I knew once I was in (the circle) we were all going to fight together, we were going to get the last six outs and we were not going to let another run on the board.
“We looked at each other, smiled and went on.”
And when it was over, just as she has done after previous state championships, Muraskin jumped into Boccagono’s arms.
“That last pitch, I waited as long as I could because I knew as soon as I jumped in her arms we were going to make it the third — the best time,” Muraskin said. “It’s something I wish I could replay and replay and replay every year. That’s the best feeling, when I leap into her arms and we just smile at each other.”
The Panthers certainly didn’t make it easy on themselves, falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first on a fielding error – one play after a great relay from the outfield to Boccagno nailed a Eustis runner at the plate.
But as coach CSC Mark Montimurro said, there’s just something about this team.
“We find a way,” he said. “This year, offensively, we weren’t stellar consistently, but we always seemed to find a way to get the W. Today, it looked like it might not happen. But I had a feeling with the top of our order coming up (in the sixth) we had a shot and we were able to capitalize.”
It was the final game for Flynn, and for Muraskin, who allowed just three hits and struck out five in the final game as a Panther.
“What a career,” Montimurro said. “I mean, you rarely get a chance to win one ring. She’s got three. Obviously, the fact that we have her in the circle means every time we step on the field, we’re going to end up on the right side.”
Muraskin, who has signed to play at UCF last season, couldn’t imagine her high school career ending another way.
“I remember coming out here sophomore year and, hey, the first one – we got it,” she said. “Then the second one (was) amazing. To get this third one, I couldn’t be any happier.
“When I came to Charter, we knew we had something set in front of us that could be great, and it’s how we determined the legacy that we wanted to leave. We put on our socks and our shoes and we said, ‘Hey, this is our journey. How do you want it to go?’ We tried to the best we could, aim for our goal and we didn’t stop until we reached it.”