Litchfield is the Softball Capital of New Hampshire — if not the United States
October 16, 2015
by Doug Robinson, Area News Group, and Rich Lascelles, Litchfield
Let’s just take a minute and look at the stats.
10U Litchfield Blast: Trophy Case
Northeast Region Champion (Babe Ruth): 2013, 2014
Northeast Region 2nd Place (Babe Ruth): 2009
NH State Champion (Babe Ruth): 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014
NH State Champion (ASA): 2009
NH District Champion (Babe Ruth): 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Litchfield Tournament Champion: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012
Plymouth Tournament Champion: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Londonderry Tournament Champion: 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014
Somersworth Tournament Champion: 2013
12U LITCHFIELD BLAST: Trophy Case
Northeast Region – Champion (Babe Ruth): 2015 (WS Participant)
*World Series Qualifier – Champion (Babe Ruth): 2012, 2014 (WS Participant)
*World Series Qualifier – 2nd Place (Babe Ruth): 2013 (WS Participant)
Northeast Region – 2nd Place (Babe Ruth): 2014
NH State Champion (Babe Ruth): 2011, 2014, 2015
NH State 2nd Place (Babe Ruth): 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013
NH District Champion (Babe Ruth): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015
Litchfield Tournament Champion: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015
Plymouth Tournament Champion: 2009, 2011, 2015
Londonderry Tournament* Champion: 2011, 2012, and 2014
“Think Pink” Tournament Champion (ASA): 2011, 2012
“Lowell B” Tournament Champion (ASA): 2015
And: U12 Blast has been to the Babe Ruth World Series a total of four times.
Litchfield School: Trophy Case (predominantly made of players who participated in LGSL & BLAST)
Litchfield Middle School Lady Raiders
NH Tri-County Champions Div. III
1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. Undefeated Seasons 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015.
Litchfield Campbell High School Cougars
NH NHIA State Champions Div. III
2011, 2013, 2014, 2015
And, Campbell High School, during the last four years, has outscored their opponents 681 to 120.
And finally,
Division I College Players:
CHS graduate Chelsey Caynon is a junior at Seton Hall University
CHS Graduate Britt McNulla is a sophomore at the University of Virginia
Some may comment that “It is in the water.” But that is not true, because the water Hudson drinks is pumped in from Litchfield.
So, what makes Litchfield so dominant?
In the World Series, the tiny town of Litchfield, who had 11 girls try out for the team, placed all 11 players on the team. The young girls competed against other teams in other states that had thousands of players from which to draft for their teams.
However, the Litchfield girls’ Softball teams have absolutely dominated, and crushed most, if not all, who have jumped onto the playing diamond to challenge them.
Some may argue that the strength of the Litchfield’s team’s rests in the fact that Litchfield is a little more affluent than other communities and parents are in a position to offer the kids the opportunity to participate in clinics, summer programs, and other special opportunities which improve the play of the players.
But, the general theme, as discussed by those close to the softball teams, state that they “think their talent is due to a combination of several factors.
“Litchfield, historically, has been a blue collar and farming community,” said longtime Litchfield resident, Rich Lascelles. “While Litchfield has become more affluent in recent years, the fundamental values of hard work and discipline remain at the core of why the girls are so good.”
But all will agree girls’ softball in Litchfield has become a culture of winning. It has become a culture of hard work, discipline, and respect for one another, but most of all, for their love of the game, and that respect it brings to the Litchfield community.
