Canton captures 4th straight CT Women’s Softball League title

Canton catcher Amy Mantha successfully blocks the plate and tags out the runner for the final out of the game in a 4-3 win over West Hartford.

CANTON – Canton softball coach Charlie Batan was a bit concerned before his squad opened the 2014 Connecticut Women’s Softball League championship tournament Saturday morning at Canton High.

The players were all discussing the championship game and a potential clash with the Connecticut Tides, who won the regular season championship with an 11-3 record. But Canton had two games to win before they could play for a title.

Game one didn’t start well. Canton gave up three runs to West Hartford in the first inning. West Hartford still had a three-run lead in the fifth inning. However, Canton scored one run in the fifth and three in the sixth inning to take a 4-3 lead.

And then Canton preserved the win by throwing out a West Hartford runner trying to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning for a thrilling 4-3 victory. 

Canton beat Rocky Hill, 5-3 but when Canton got to the championship game, they found Ellington as their opponent. Ellington, which went 1-13 in the regular season, stunned the Tides, 3-2 in the semifinals. Canton rolled over Ellington, 9-1, in six innings to win its fourth straight CWSL championship.

“We played well as a team,” Canton coach Charley Batan said. “We have great team chemistry year-after year even with new players.”

Canton pitcher Katie Donovan

Canton, which finished second during the regular season with a 9-4-1 record, couldn’t have played for a championship without its dramatic win over West Hartford.

West Hartford got four hits in the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. It took Canton until the fifth inning to get on the board. Liz Mutch led off with a double and moved to second on a successful sacrifice bunt from Sam Arnone. Mutch scored on a RBI single from Deanna DeSanti to cut the lead to two, 3-1.

In the sixth, Kara Murphy led off the inning reaching on error. Amber Batan walked and both runners moved to second and third base on a deep fly ball to centerfield from Loren Rozanski. Pitcher Katie Donovan came up with a two-RBI double to the gap in center field to tie the game at 3-3.

Rozanski came into pinch run for Donovan as a courtesy runner and moved to third base on Nicole Batan’s single. Rozanski gave Canton the lead at 4-3 when she scored on a deep sacrifice fly to centerfield from Amy Mantha.

In the top of the seventh, Danielle Leone came on in relief of starting pitcher Katie Donovan.

It came down to one play. With two outs and a runner on first base, the West Hartford hitter ripped a shot into center field. The runner sped around the bases and tried to score. But Canton’s Nicole Batan fired the ball to shortstop Breann Joyce, who relayed the ball accurately to Mantha, the catcher, who was blocking the plate and tagged out the runner to end the game.

Canton catcher Amy Mantha tags out the runner to end the game against West Hartford.

Against Rocky Hill, Leone went the distance, pitching seven innings and allowing just five hits. She struck out two. Mutch had an RBI triple for Canton.

Donovan pitched five innings in the championship game win over Ellington, striking out four and not allowing a single hit. Mantha, Amy Hartman and Mutch each had doubles while Joyce had a game-ending triple. Arnone pitched the sixth inning to close out the victory for Canton.

Canton players celebrate after rallying to beat West Hartford in the CWSL tournament Sunday in Canton.

The win was the fourth straight league championship for Canton, which has six players who have played at Canton High in the past – Nicole Batan, Deanna DeSanti, Christina Cardwell, Liz Mutch, Amber Batan and Brittany King. The rest of the team is a diverse group of athletes. 

Amy Mantha is from Agawam, Mass.; Breann Joyce, originally from Trumbull, now lives in Springfield; Danielle Leone is from Manchester; Loren Rozanski is from Bristol; Amy Hartman is from Ellington; Sam Arnone is from Granby; Kara Murphy, originally from Portland, also lives in Springfield and Katie Donovan is a former Gilbert School pitcher, who lives in East Hartland. 

Nicole Batan and Rozanski have played on all four championship teams. Donovan, who played some games that first year, has been a full-time player for the past three years. She was 6-1 this year on the mound for Canton. 

Joyce led the team in hitting this season with a .667 batting average, three home runs and 19 RBI. Hartman hit .482 and Donovan was also a star at the plate, hitting .448. 

2014 CT Women’s Softball League
Championship Tournament
At Canton
First round
Canton 4, West Hartford 3
Rocky Hill 10, Bristol 1
Second round
Ellington 3, CT Tides 2
Canton 5, Rocky Hill 3
Consolation round
Bristol 4, West Hartford 3
Championship
Canton 9, Ellington 1 (6)
Consolation final
Bristol def. CT Tides

2014 Connecticut Women’s Softball League
Final regular season standings
CT Tides                    11-3
Canton                        9-4-1
Rocky Hill                    8-5-1
Bristol                         6-7-1
West Hartford             5-8-1
Ellington                     1-13

Recent CWSL championship games
2014: Canton 9, Ellington 1(6)
2013: Canton 4, Rocky Hill 1
2012: Canton 3, Bristol 0
2011: Canton 9, Simsbury 1 (5)