Coventry defeats Shepaug Valley for first trip to final since 1985.

Mitchell fired a four-hitter Monday as top-seeded Coventry advanced to the Class S final for the first time in 38 years with a 2-0 victory over No. 4 Shepaug Valley at the Dunn Sports Complex.

“This was definitely the big hump to get over for us,” Mitchell said. “Getting to the semifinals was a challenge but getting past that to the championship game is the biggest challenge.

“I have never been nervous for a game like I was today. But I have one more game left in me and so does my team.”

Coventry (23-2) will take on reigning Class S champion and No. 11 Cromwell in Saturday’s final at the University of Connecticut. The Panthers (18-8) blanked No. 2 North Branford 9-0 Monday in a rematch of the 2022 Class S final that Cromwell won for its first state title. The Panthers have outscored their four state tournament opponents by a combined 28-1.

The Patriots defeated Cromwell 1-0 on April 25.

“They’re a very good team and we’re going to be at our best,” Mitchell said.

Coventry had been 0-10 in Class S semifinal, including five losses from 2013 to 2022, since beating Griswold 4-0 to reach the 1985 Class S championship game. Derby defeated the Patriots in the final 4-2.

So there was a championship-like celebration as the final out was recorded though they know better than anyone there’s more work to do.

“Our program has been phenomenal, but it’s like a Buffalo Bills thing,” Coventry coach Jeff LaHouse said. “We come in strong and when games would be decided it wouldn’t go our way. So, finally.

“These kids responded, but they’ve been doing it all year. They can dig deep.”

And they did that Monday.

Coventry opened the scoring in the first inning with a run without a hit. Julia Boya led off with a walk and advanced to third on Charlotte Wesoloskie’s sacrifice bunt. Lindsey Harrington’s safety-squeeze bunt plated Boya.

Shepaug Valley threatened in the fourth as leadoff batter Clare Moore reached second on an infield error and took third on Sophie Granata’s groundout to second base. Amelia Jacob then hit a chopper that Mitchell grabbed and threw home to Remington Casida to get Moore in a rundown. The Patriots’ catcher fired a bullet to third baseman Brooke Blouin to retire Moore. A groundout ended the inning.

Coventry then made it 2-0 with a two-out rally. Mitchell singled as Jacob could not handle the comebacker cleanly and Casida walked. Lily Rand then lobbed a ball over shortstop Lexi Thomas into center field to bring in the run.

The Spartans tried again to make it interesting in the sixth as they put runners at the corners with one out. But Mitchell struck out Jacob for the second out. A stolen base put the tying run at second and Thomas hit a line drive right back at Mitchell, who knocked it down and threw to first baseman Rand. 

“I thought I would catch it but I jabbed at it with my glove,” Mitchell said. “When I didn’t catch it, I just picked it up as soon as I could and threw it to first.

“And as soon as we kept them from scoring there I thought, ‘This is our game.’ I wish we scored more but we did what we needed to do.”

Mitchell pitched a 1-2-3 seventh. She walked one and struck out eight.

Shepaug Valley finishes 18-3 and with a share of its first Berkshire League title since 2001. The Spartans were seeking their first championship game appearance since winning the 1992 crown over Putnam.

“I knew it would be a pitcher’s duel and we worked hard on our defense,” Shepaug coach Heidi Johnson said. “They snuck a couple of runs past us.”

Jacob was outstanding in defeat, allowing two hits. She walked two and fanned 11.

The sophomore is part of a bright future for the Spartans. Their starting nine Monday for second-year coach Johnson included four sophomores and three freshmen.

“It means so much to us and our program,” Johnson said. “We’ve been the little school that has 12-13 kids on roster. We had 28 show up this year. This year’s team will go down in history being about our core four — Amelia, Sophia, Rachel, and Clare — and how they raised the level of play and the freshman. I have the title of coach but they’ve coached each other. To get to where we did, I’m so impressed with these kids.”

Maybe next year will be their year. But now Coventry, finally, has the opportunity to finish the job.

COVENTRY 2, SHEPAUG VALLEY 0

SHEPAUG VALLEY 000  000  0 — 0  4  1

COVENTRY              100  100  x — 2  2  1

Amelia Jacob and Sophia Granata; Elizabeth Mitchell and Remington Casida. W-Mitchell; L-Jacob.

Coventry 23-2; Shepaug Valley 18-3