Groton/Mystic takes another step forward in state tourney

District 10 champs beat Newington in Section 3 title game and move on to Little League softball Final Four in Windsor

Rocky Hill — As the sun began to set on a warm, clear early summer evening, the Groton/Mystic players circled the field, championship banner in hand, winners of the Connecticut Section 3 Little League 11-12-year-old softball championship.

"We're very excited, we feel great" assistant coach Will Jenkins said after the District 10 champions defeated District 7 champ Newington 10-2 on Sunday in the final. "A lot of props to the (other) two teams, Newington and Coginchaug. The girls played hard."

Groton/Mystic advances to the four-team state championship, a double-elimination event that begins Thursday against host Windsor, the Section 4 champion, at 5:30 p.m. at Welch Park. Section 1 winner Fairfield plays Section 2 winner Seymour in the second game at 8.

Groton/Mystic went 3-0 in Section 3, beating Newington twice.

Sunday's matchup got off to a lively start with Groton/Mystic scoring two runs in the top of the first inning on Abriel Carey's two-run single to right.

Newington looked to match them in the bottom of the inning, putting runners on second and third. Newington pitcher Miranda Gernander drove in one run, but Groton/Mystic pitcher Charlotte Cabral struck out the next batter to end the threat, and Groton/ Mystic never looked back.

"Our pitching was phenomenal," Jenkins said. "In our last two games we had two complete games from our pitchers."

Cabral pitched six innings, giving up two runs and striking out six to earn the win.

Cabral contributed with her bat, too, with three hits, three runs scored, and two RBI.

In the top of the fourth, after a leadoff single by Groton/Mystic third baseman Sydney Lyon, Cabral smacked a double into left field to score Lyon and second baseman Grace Jenkins followed by launching a triple to center, scoring Cabral, extending the lead to 7-1.

Jenkins, Katie Touhy and Angelica Tompkins all had multi-hit games for Groton/Mystic.

Cabral was able to wiggle out of another jam in third and despite allowing Newington to load the bases in the sixth, she limited the damage to just one run on an infield single before inducing a ground up to end the game.

Groton/Mystic will continue to be coached by Jenkins in the state championship round. Jenkins stepped in after a substitution issue during District 10 play led to the suspension of manager Shawn Cabral for the remainder of the tournament.

"This is his team," Jenkins said of Cabral. "This team is a reflection of him. I'm just doing what he would do. He deserves the credit. It's his team, and I'm just steering the boat right now."

For Jenkins, keeping the teams spirits high remains a top priority.

"I told them to have fun," he said. If they have fun, the talent will shine. I just hope the girls have a great experience that they take with them for the rest of their life and it's a life lesson on success or failure either way."