On Saturday, July 13, the 11-12 Champlain Little League All-Star softball team cruised to a 10-0 shutout win over Connecticut Valley in the Vermont Little League State Championship at Schifilliti Park. Champlain secured the trip to the Little League Regional Tournament in an abbreviated five-inning game, thanks, in part, to another outstanding pitching performance by Irie Shedd, who threw five innings, striking out 10, allowing one hit, and walking one. In the bottom of the first, Lily Winegar led off with a hard-ground ball up the middle.
Payton Moore followed with a bunt single, and Shedd knocked in Winegar on a single. Bailee Conger came up in the clean-up spot to hit a double between the left and center fielders to score Moore and Shedd. Conger advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on an Ellis Montgomery line drive to right.
Khloe Brosseau smoked a ball to center, and Montgomery came around to put Champlain up 5-0 in the first inning. Champlain head coach Michael Conger said, “It was a start the coaches wanted to see. We wanted to get the championship game nerves out early because we struggled against this pitcher earlier on in the tournament.
” Connecticut Valley held Champlain silent in the second inning, but not for lack of effort on the part of Champlain. “Connecticut Valley made great plays,” said Conger. “All of our girls put the bat on the ball.
” Winegar's lead-off walk gave Champlain a baserunner in the third, and Shedd knocked Winegar in with a.
