Lilly Corwin caught a fly in left field. She takes over for the catcher to finish the game.
When Lilly Corwin was asked to describe her day on Monday with the Southold/Mattituck/Greenport softball team, she responded, “Amazing.”
“That’s fine, though,” the elementary student added. “Fun.”
And it’s busy too. Corwin hit the lone hit in a 12-0 loss at Shoreham-Wading River High School 2-12, 2-12. She also caught three fine catches in left field and capped off the afternoon in the final inning of Game 8 in the Suffolk County League.
Corwin was forced to serve when starting receiver Chloe Manwaring left the game after a previous commitment to cheerleading practice.
“I wasn’t surprised at all when Lilly told me she was going to get dressed and get behind the plate,” head coach Amanda Graziano said. “Lily is that kind of person. She is the first person to step up and volunteer to help her team in times of need.”
When third baseman Breonna McFarlane came on for starter Kelsey Newman in the bottom of the fifth inning, Cowin had already caught an earlier play and moved behind home plate.
“I volunteered for the first time, and then our backup catcher was out today,” Corwin said. “So it’s me, because I did it last time… I enjoyed it.”
Still, there are some challenges in dealing with highs and lows.
“Just get the ball on the ground and get up quickly and throw it,” Corwin said. “I’m thinking a lot at once.”
Corwin’s previous record was a six-inning draw in a 12-0 loss to the Settlers at Bayport-Blue Point on April 15.
“During that game, coach Alexis Reed and I jokingly called her ‘The Wall,’ and honestly, that’s what she is,” Graziano said. “Because she’s never been in a match, she looks like she’s been in it for a while. Today, she’s doing really well too.
“She’s a really hard worker, and even when she’s under pressure, it’s like being thrown behind home plate, and even though she’s not a catcher, she stays calm and keeps trying to be the best version of herself.”
McFarlane added: “I think she’s doing a good job with her inexperience. She’s definitely an athlete.”
High praise from the man who led his basketball team to the county B finals with an average of 14.6 points per game. Corwin averaged 8.1 points per game.
The Wildcats (7-5, 7-5) need three more wins to secure a Class A playoff berth as they take Game 1 by one point, Game 2 by 3 and Game 3 by 5 , the fourth game increases by 1, the fourth game increases by 2 and the fifth. When Corwin’s pass led to SWR scoring in the 12th inning, Emmalee Ruta batted with two outs in the fifth and the game was called off under mercy rule.
“With the pass, I saw the frustration, but then she was motivated to try harder next time,” Graziano said. “As a coach, she’s everything you look for in an athlete. She’s competitive, highly motivated, takes criticism and uses it to get better, and she’s a natural leader.”
and players in multiple positions.
“Lilly has been there for us this year,” Graziano said, adding that when her regular pitcher was injured, Lilly and McFarland stepped up to learn how to pitch. “She also plays third base, outfield and now catch. She’s a natural athlete. I could put Lilly anywhere on the field and have confidence that she’ll do a great job.”
First baseman Kelsey Hughes scored 3 runs for SWR with a 2-run single and a sacrifice fly, while third baseman Katie Lahey added 2 RBIs. Starting pitcher Erin Cahill helped her cause with a 2-run single. Cahill (6-4) allowed 1 hit, 1 walk, 2 at-bats and 8 strikeouts.
Despite the score, the Settlers showed plenty of spirit off the bench, tweeting for their batsmen.
“It was just out of our desire to have a good time, even though the scoreboard didn’t really say what we wanted to say,” McFarlane said. “We still want to make the most of it.”
