Branford Softball Battles Trenton for Spot in State Title Game
For the Branford Buccaneers softball team, the 2021 season has been nothing short of historic. The Buccaneers came out of the gate with four straight victories to start the year and never looked back on the way to a 10-win regular season.
Branford (15-4) pulled off the program’s first-ever playoff win on April 26 against the Bell Bulldogs and also their first regional title, too. Branford has won seven straight, including that playoff win, and is looking to make more history on Tuesday afternoon in Clermont, Florida.
The Buccaneers will face the No.1 team in Class 1A, the Trenton Tigers (18-1), in the state semifinals with a spot in the state title game on the line. So far, in the playoffs, Branford has managed to put up a whopping 39 runs through five games while only allowing nine runs in return.
Perhaps the biggest reason the Buccaneers have seen so much success this season has to do with their offensive production. Branford has six players batting an average of .300 or over, which has led to those big numbers being put up on the scoreboard. Senior shortstop Cera McElreath leads all players in total average, batting .515 through 19 games.
Additionally, McElreath is also second on the team in total hits with 34, just one behind teammate Madyson Sikes, who has 35 on the season. Both McElreath and Sikes have also combined for 34 RBIs, as well.
While the Buccaneers have been able to put up lots of runs for most of the year, the pitching has been just as superior. Eighth grade pitcher Laila Arnold has appeared in 19 games this season and has a win-loss record of 14-2. Furthermore, Arnold has put together a team-leading 2.30 ERA and has struck out 134 batters.
Branford has some momentum heading into its matchup with the Tigers, but an eighth straight victory and possible state title game appearance won’t come easy against a scrappy, complete Trenton squad.
Like the Buccaneers, the Tigers are also riding a winning streak heading into Tuesday’s contest and are seeking their second state title in three years. Trenton also brings plenty of offensive firepower and is led by senior third baseman Keeli Zingaro, who leads all players with a .536 batting average. She has a team-leading 31 RBIs and 10 home runs to go along with her stellar average.
Similar to Branford, the Tigers have had consistent pitching performances for most of the season. Carrying Trenton on the mound has been senior pitcher Darian Ingram who has appeared in 17 games for the Tigers and put together a record of 16-1 with an ERA of 0.42.
The Buccaneers’ season is already one that could go down in the record books, but finishing the season with a state title would be the icing on the cake. One winning streak will end when the two teams take the field on Tuesday. The first pitch is set for 2 p.m.
Written by: Nicholas Anschultz
