Something special is happening with Mt. Pleasant's Lady Colonials that goes beyond a season often distilled to wins and losses. What started as two separate groups—with new players from Eastchester joining Mt. Pleasant’s returning roster—is transforming into a unified team with genuine chemistry, mutual support and game-day dynamism.
MENTORSHIP ON THE MOUND
In the D3 Lady Colonials vs D4 Lady Colonials match-up on May 17th, returning pitcher Sofia was approached by Saige—the team's pitching powerhouse newcomer from Eastchester—who offered this pre-game encouragement: "You got this, Queen! You're gonna kill it. Just be you and throw strikes."
Sofia draws motivation from having the Eastchester players on the team. "They're very good. They're very supportive. We push each other to work harder," she says.
Sofia, Saige, and the D3 team went on to win that game 15-1 before heading into the next day's double-header.
A TEAM-DEFINING DOUBLEHEADER
The Lady Colonials’ recent doubleheader against Hillcrest perfectly captured the 12 and under team’s evolution. In game one, Saige dominated the mound with 16 strikeouts. Despite balls crossing the plate with precision from both sides, the game came down to the wire, with the Lady Colonials tallying a hard-fought 3-2 victory against a quality opponent.
The second game of the LC-Hillcrest contest was just as hard fought. Down 1-8 heading into the sixth inning, the Lady Colonials could have folded. Coach Joe's mid-game message struck his characteristic balance: “I don’t care what the score is. We’re not hitting like we normally do, but there’s nobody better than you. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else with anyone else. You guys are the best.”
As witnessed in previous games, words from their leader ignited a fighting spirit and a come-from-behind rally. Brooklyn’s voice cut through the tension as 6th-grader Ava—nicknamed “Tiny” by her teammates—stepped up to the plate.
“She might be ‘Tiny’ but she sure is mighty!”
What followed was pure Lady Colonials grit: Ava's ground ball advanced the runner, Brooklyn drew a walk, and Laila's clutch single brought Tiny home. One run became two, and suddenly a blowout felt like a ballgame again. The scoreboard still read 8-2, but the energy had completely shifted.
The Lady Colonials lost the second game by a slim two runs but once again, Coach Joe found the perfect words as his team gathered around him. “Great moves that last inning. Nobody beats us when we play our game. Sofia I’m so proud of you. Awesome defense. No one gave up. Everybody fought to the last inning. I’m proud of you. That was a great game today.”
PLAYOFF-READY
As the postseason approaches, the Lady Colonials have something more valuable than any single star player or dominant strategy. They have unity. They have players who genuinely care about each other's success. They have shared experiences and mutual respect. They are a team that's finally become greater than the sum of its parts.
That's the #StuffTeamIsMadeOf—and it's what makes them serious competitors as they head into the most important games of their season.
