Springfield softball finishes with one of Ohio’s all-time home run totals

Two years ago, the Springfield softball team hit a school-record 45 homers as the Blue Devils made a run to the state final game.

With six freshmen from that 2022 team now juniors with tons of varsity experience, Springfield coach Rob Gwozdz knew coming into this year that his hard-hitting group could threaten that mark.

Featuring a lineup as deep as it is powerful, Springfield bashed 54 home runs this year, with nine of the 14 players on the varsity roster going deep this season.

“It starts in the weight room,” Gwozdz said. “We take it very, very seriously in the winter to get bigger and stronger, and our approach is to hit line drives up the middle. That's how we focus. These kids play great travel ball all year round. We don't mess with their swings too much, maybe with mechanics and timing a little tiny bit. But we focus on hitting line drives up the middle and then watch it fly.”

Before this season, only six teams in Ohio high school softball history hit 50 or more home runs in a season, according to available data provided by the OHSAA record book.

Cam Eckhart led the Blue Devils this season with 12 homers, while Ava Littin hit 11. Kenya Crowley and Hannah Schlachter hit nine homers apiece, with Cam Hall (6), Callee Chappetta (2), Natalie Slavin (2), Addy Rapp (2), and Olivia Rompf (1) rounding out the home-run hitting barrage.

“We talked a lot at the beginning of the season about how this was one of the best hitting teams we've had in a long time,” Eckhart said. “Just the power we have in our lineup is unlike anything else really in the area.

“We definitely knew we had the potential coming in, and that was one of coach Rob's goals was to break the record we set my freshman year. I expected a lot of home runs this year, but it was really cool that it came to fruition and we were able to break that record.”

In many games this season, the long ball changed the momentum for Springfield and altered the dynamic of the game.

“For our team, we have a lot of energy and when someone hits a home run we all go crazy,” Littin said. “It can change a game to where you are down and then all of a sudden you take the lead.

“Like in the Anthony Wayne game, we were down 1-0 and I hit the home run and we were up 2-1. With one swing of the bat, we are all confident that we can change a game.”

It is unusual for a high school lineup to feature nine players capable of hitting the ball over the fence in a given at-bat, but that is a luxury that Gwozdz had when filling out his lineup card this season.

“Usually we are facing opposing teams and we feel a little bit more comfortable that when we get down to 6-7-8-9 that we can go after those kids and get those kids,” Gwozdz said. “With our lineup, you have to be a little bit more careful knowing that 7, 8, or 9 can hit one out as well. It's a great feeling as a coach, especially once those kids at the bottom can get it going and get us back to the top.”

Gwozdz said, aside from goals like winning the league and advancing far in the tournament, his program wants to have a fun, energetic atmosphere similar to some of the lively dugouts you see in college softball.

“One of the team goals too is to have a college atmosphere dugout,” Gwozdz said. “I think we've totally done that over the last four or five years, and a lot of schools in our area have mimicked what we do with that. The girls are watching college softball on ESPN on the weekend, and they'll come in Monday and do one of those tricks, so it's really fun.”

That extends to the home run celebrations when the team gathers near home plate to welcome in the latest Blue Devils home run hitter. Littin said some of the individualized celebrations include a Wii Sports-themed one for Eckhart, a trust fall on some of her own homers, and an airborne jump into the players' arms from Hall.

“It feels pretty awesome and everyone is super hyped up for you,” Littin said. “I just think that is the best part of the game is everyone being there together as one in unity, and I think hitting a home run we just come together and celebrate that one person, which I think is super cool.”