With Sams, Borgstrom Help, CCS Softball Is No Stranger To Victory

By ERIC AHLQVIST
Sports Editor

In the decade that Dave Bliss has been head coach of the Cooperstown softball, the program has come from laughingstock to annual 10-win team that has challenged for league and sectional titles.
This year’s team, led by four-year players Anna Sams, the program record holder in wins and strikeouts, and catcher Sam Borgstrom, is 8-5 as the regular season winds down this week.
In her four years as starting pitcher, Sams has accumulated 41 wins and struck out 640 batters through the Friday, May 13, game.  Borgstrom is a solid hitter and a feared defensive catcher. Opposing teams respect her arm so much base runners rarely try to steal, Bliss said.
“In softball, pitcher and catcher are the two most important positions,’’ Bliss said. “We’ve been lucky to have two really good ones for the last four years.’’
As the softball team has become more competitive over the years, more of the top athletes in the school  have decided to play softball, the coach said. He also credited the Youth Softball League started by Terry Bliss and continued by David Borgstrom, and the modified program, coached by Glen Noto, as major contributors to the success of the program.
“Success breeds success,’’ Bliss said. “Having the girls start at an early age with good coaching has also been very beneficial.’’
For the second consecutive season, a freshman has led the Redskins’ offense. Last year it was Alannah Haggerty, who missed this season after suffering a knee injury in soccer, while this year’s phenom is Maggie Hall.
Hall leads the team in batting average (.325) and runs batted in (18) and is also tied for the team lead in hits with 13. Her three home runs this season also ties the school record for most in a single season.
“Anna and Sam are the only two seniors,’’ Bliss said. “We’ll have everyone else back so the future looks pretty good.’’
Junior leadoff hitter Holli Erkson and fellow junior Meghan Vann also have 13 hits apiece this season. Another junior, Natalie Reich, is second on the team with a .316 batting average, and among her 12 hits are a double triple and nine runs batted in.
In 70 innings this season, Sams has struck out 105 batters and walked just 12 and has an earned run average of 1.90. Sophomore Nicole Cring will take over pitching duties next season. Cring is 2-0 with 17 strikeouts in 19 innings and an ERA of 1.47 this season.
Four of Cooperstown’s losses this season came to powerhouse programs Canastota and Sauquoit. CCS lost a 4-3 decision at Sauquoit on Wednesday, May 11, and a 12-7 decision at Canastota two days later.
“The good news against Canastota was we had seven runs and 11 hits against the best pitcher we’ll see all season,’’ Bliss said. “Both of the games against Sauquoit we could have won, and we could see them again in sectionals.’’