'Cinematic Ending' For Deerfield Softball Team With Tournament Win

DEERFIELD, IL — The recent season for a local girls softball team has all the makings of a hit sports movie. The script would include familiar plot points like a resilient team winning it all, a group of tight-knit players defining the word team, along with a coaching staff, parents and league that believed in them all along.

For local sports fans, this is the plot for the summer of the Deerfield Youth Baseball and Softball Association's 14U girls softball team. The team was recently crowned champions of the North American Fastpitch Association's Midwest Nationals tournament in Rockford, a feat not accomplished by a Deerfield team in decades, according to the league.

"Coach Erika Vroman and coach Kate Bulzoni have been with these girls the whole way through. [With] them being together and winning that final game, it was a true cinematic ending to a great run for this group of girls," Gregg Cooper, co-travel director of the DYBSA, tells Patch. "Coach Erika said from the start of the season, she wanted to challenge this group, put them in harder tournaments, earn a national bid, and ultimately participate in a National tournament."

Amazingly, the Warriors (35 wins, 6 losses, 3 ties) won four tournaments in as many weeks, accepted the bid to nationals, and capped the season with a championship to "exceed lofty expectations."

"The whole program is super proud of what our 14uRed team accomplished this year," Cooper said.

According to Cooper, many of the players have been together for at least four to six years, starting at 10U. He believes the championship will be something they can reminisce about for the rest of their lives.

"Being able to look back and say they won a championship, with their group that they came up with, in their last game, is not something a lot of athletes can walk away with," Cooper said.

Being a "true team," Cooper said it's hard to single out players in terms of what they brought to the field all summer. Lily Freedman was the star pitcher, throwing 362 strikeouts to only 24 walks, partnering with catcher Marin Killeen. In addition, Mae Muscarella, Victoria Rotman, Audrey Klerman, and Maddie Swender, "all added to an incredibly stacked lineup from top to bottom."

Cooper said half the team will age out of 14U, with many going on to play for Deerfield and Highland Park high schools. Despite the losses, he feels confident the 14U team can run it back next year, in a league that is flourishing.

"Our program continues to grow year after year," Cooper said. "Whether it be travel softball, travel baseball, or either of our house programs (softball/baseball), the numbers continue to grow, and the amount of kids of our community, as well as neighboring communities, have built DYBSA into a great place for young athletes to receive a great experience, learn from great coaches, and the end of the day, come away with great relationships, and memories they can carry with them the rest of their lives."