CASTLETON — It took 10 innings to decide Saturday’s Division II softball final between No. 1 Lyndon and No. 2 Mount Abraham at Vermont State University-Castleton.

In the end the Eagles broke through for the victory. After junior Gretchen Toy singled to lead off the top of the 10th, the Eagles moved freshman courtesy runner Mady King around the bases for the run that gave Mount Abe its decisive 6-5 lead.

And then Toy, the winning pitcher, slammed the door on the Vikings, striking out the final batter with her 155th pitch to clinch the dramatic win.

The Eagles finished at 14-3, and Lyndon at 12-2-1.

THE EAGLE SOFTBALL captains, from left, seniors Morgan Larocque, Gen Forand, Elise Parker and Abba Parker, join title game MVP junior Gretchen Toy and Coach Don McCormick in posing with the D-II championship trophy on Saturday at VTSU-Castleton.
Independent photo/Steve James

Toy finished by allowing eight hits and three walks while striking out nine. She also drove in three runs with a pair of hits. There were no doubts about the game MVP or the Eagles’ competitive spirit.

“We came here to win,” Toy said. “We didn’t come this far to lose.”

In the first inning the Eagles scored twice off Viking pitcher Jenna Royer, who like Toy tossed a complete game. Junior Morgan Larocque started the rally with a double, and senior Abba Parker walked. Both scored when Toy lined a double down the left-field line.

Lyndon equalized in the second inning when Toy briefly lost command of the strike zone. Kendall Hale reached on an infield hit, and a Royer bunt single and a walk loaded the bases. Toy then hit one batter and walked one to force in two runs.

The Eagles answered in the third when Royer struggled with her control. Royer hit Larocque with a pitch, and Parker walked. Junior Gen Forand singled to score Larocque. An error allowed Parker to score, and Mount Abe led, 4-2.

MOUNT ABE JUNIOR Gretchen Toy slugs a two-run double to give her softball team an early lead in the D-II title game on Saturday the Eagles eventually won in extra innings. Toy was the winning pitcher, drove in three runs, and had the key hit in extra innings.
Independent photo/Steve James

Things quieted down until the fourth, when Eagle left fielder Brooklyn Ryersbach made the defensive play of the game, a two-out tumbling catch on the warning track of a drive belted by Viking first baseman Ella Marshia.

Some background: After the Eagles’ semifinal win over Otter Valley, Coach Don McCormick said his speedy outfield could be a factor in the spacious Castleton ballpark. Before Saturday’s game during warmups he hit deep fly balls to his outfielders, Ryersbach in left, sophomore Emmali Rougier in center, and Sophomore Leah Tierney in left, and they combined for six catches. He said that drill was just typical of things the Eagles work on and prep for.

“Every once in a while it comes around, and we make a play,” he said.

In the eagle fifth, with one out, both Parker and Forand drew walks and stole bases to put runners on second and third. Toy’s sacrifice fly scored Parker, and the Eagles led, 5-2.

The Vikings also scored just once in the fifth. Ashleigh Simpson singled, and hitter Jill Dwyer walked. Hale, the cleanup hitter, grounded out to Parker, with the runners moving up. Lexi Goodwin singled in a run to make it 5-3, and a Royer bunt loaded the bases. But Toy whiffed the next two batters to snuff the threat.

EAGLE FRESHMAN NORA Hurlburt slugs a double off the left-center field fence during the Division II final at VTSU-Castleton on Saturday.
Independent photo/Steve James

Lyndon tied the game at 5-5 in the sixth. Doubles by Anneliese Webber and Marshia scored the first run, and Marshia moved up on one fly ball out and scored on a Dwyer sacrifice fly.

Then the test of nerves really began.

Parker singled with two out in the seventh, but was stranded. Royer doubled with one out for Lyndon in the bottom of the inning, but Toy got the next two hitters. Freshman Nora Hurlburt in the eighth belted a one-out double, but Mount Abe couldn’t bring her home.

In the Eagle ninth, with two out Larocque legged out an infield hit, and Parker walked again, but they were stranded.

Lyndon had the Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 hitters due up in the ninth. It was Lyndon’s golden opportunity, and Toy knew it.

“I was just trying to convince myself that I got it. And I had my teammates behind me,” Toy said. “I really trust everybody on this team.”

MOUNT ABE JUNIOR shortstop Gen Forand throws to first for the key second out in the 10th inning of the Eagles extra-inning victory in the D-II final on Saturday.
Independent photo/Steve James

Simpson singled to lead off, and Eagle fans held their breath. But after a fly ball, a pop-up and a ground ball, the Eagles were grabbing their bats and helmets for the top of the 10^th inning.

Toy led off and singled. King ran for her, and Hurlburt walked. With runners on first and second bases, Rougier hit a grounder to shortstop, who tossed to the second baseman in an effort to get a double play, but the throw glanced off the second baseman’s glove and bounced into the outfield. King rounded third and never stopped running until she crossed home plate: 6-5, Eagles.

Now it was up to Toy and the Eagle defense.

Forand at shortstop nailed the first runner with a strong throw, and Larocque tossed the second batter out. But of course it wasn’t going to be without drama: Viking pinchhitter Ary Parker walked and stole second to put the tying run in scoring position, bringing up Webber. Soon Toy fired the final fastball into senior catcher Elise Parker’s mitt and the Eagles celebrated.

MOUNT ABE SENIOR Abba Parker slides safely into second base during Saturday’s Division II softball final at VTSU Castleton.
Independent photo/Steve James

Abba Parker, along with Elise Parker, one of only two Eagle seniors on the team, described the Eagles’ mindset as the game went into extra innings.

“Every inning after the seventh we came into the dugout and said we have to work hard,” Parker said. “We all looked at each other and kept it going.”

Toy acknowledged she was throwing a little harder than usual. McCormick noticed, calling it Toy’s best effort.

“Gretchen’s not a strikeout pitcher, but she had a few today,” McCormick said. “There was a little adrenaline going out there.”

EAGLE JUNIOR PITCHER Gretchen Toy jumps for joy after striking out the final Lyndon batter to nail down the Mount Abe softball team’s victory in the D-II championship game on Saturday.
Independent photo/Steve James

Parker was impressed with her teammate’s stamina on the mound.

“She’s just a beast. After pitching like that all season, it’s incredible,” she said.

McCormick talked about what made this edition of the Eagles a championship team.

“They just work hard and like each other,” he said.

And they are talented. McCormick said he has had a hard time setting the lineup because of the team’s depth.

“Most teams have four or five kids who can hit the ball,” McCormick said. “We’ve got 12 kids.”

THE MOUNT ABE softball team and its coaches pose with the Division II trophy after defeating Lyndon in the final on Saturday at VTSU-Castleton.
Independent photo/Andy Kirkaldy

Parker said the team bonded.

“We are friends outside of this. We love each other. We click together. We understand each other. We work together. We work hard,” she said. “And this is what brought us here.”

For her and a few other players it is their second title after winning in 2023.

“It feels surreal. Donnie always says don’t expect to come back. I wasn’t expecting to be in this position again. To be here I’m just beyond grateful, beyond proud of the people around me,” Parker said. “I’m incredibly happy for everybody.”