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BURNT HILLS — During a game at Burnt Hill-Ballston Lake on Saturday, Maddie Tse did something that not many other girls have done — play varsity baseball.
Tse made her debut in a pinch-hit appearance in the bottom of the sixth inning, as the Spartans led Scotia-Glenville 3-2, with the right-handed hitter able to draw a walk.
“As far as I know, there’s never been one,” Burnt Hills coach Josh Hadcock said on whether there have been any other girls who’ve played baseball in the Suburban Council. “Maddie works hard and does everything she can to be a great teammate. She’s ready to go when she gets her opportunities.”
Tse sees herself mainly as an outfielder, but last year on the Spartans’ junior varsity team she played infield, caught and pitched.
“I’m just hoping she gets confidence,” Hadcock said of her being on varsity for her junior season. “Being out there, she’s played with these guys all the way up. She knows them and they know her.”
Burnt Hills had maintained a 3-1 lead heading into the later innings on Saturday, but an RBI double by Scotia-Glenville’s Ryan Allen cut the Spartans’ lead to just one, 3-2, in the top of the sixth inning.
In the bottom half, Tse’s walk loaded the bases for Burnt Hills, with one out, allowing Logan McNeal to drive in an insurance run on a fielder’s choice.
“I was very anxious,” Tse said of her first plate appearance. “When I was on first base my hand was shaking, but it felt good to get it out of the way.”
“I was hoping to get a hit, but I’ll take a walk,” she added. “At least I didn’t strike out.”
Mason Veronezi stood out on the mound for Burnt Hills, tossing two perfect innings to start the game, with five strikeouts. Hunter Rauhauser also threw two scoreless innings, allowing just one walk while striking out three.
Timothy Venditti went 3 for 3 at the plate with an RBI in the 4-2 win for the Spartans, while Luke Zoller was 1 for 3 with a double and two RBI.
HISTORY OF GIRLS PLAYING BASEBALL IN SECTION II
Only one thing’s for certain, there have not been many female athletes who have played high school baseball at the varsity level.
A survey of several long-time Section II baseball coaches, as well as journalists who have covered high school sports for multiple decades, was conducted by The Daily Gazette. It concluded that the last known girls’ athlete to play varsity baseball in the Capital Region was Trista Russo, who graduated from Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons in 2001.
Russo began her baseball career playing junior varsity at Saratoga Central Catholic for Alphonse Lambert, but transferred to Bishop Gibbons, where she played for James Schlegel, who is currently the president of Christian Brothers Academy.
“I’m not sure if Trista was the last, but she was one of the best,” Schlegel recalled of his time coaching Russo. “At the time, Spa Catholic was loaded and she was looking for a place to play. She and her family decided that she was going to transfer to Bishop Gibbons and she turned into one of our most dependable pitchers.”
Russo would go on to play for Team USA on multiple occasions, traveling the globe to participate in the Women’s Baseball World Cup.
“After Gibbons she ended up playing on the Women’s National Baseball team,” Schlegel said. “She may have pitched in the championship game of the Women’s Baseball World Cup.”
While Lambert pointed to Russo as the most recent female athlete to play baseball in Section II, Western Athletic Council baseball chairman Chris Wyanski could not recall any.
“As the Duanesburg coach and the chairman of the WAC, I don’t believe we’ve ever had a girl play baseball,” Wyanski said. “In my 38 years of coaching, I’ve never had one and I don’t believe I’ve ever played against a team that’s had a girl on the roster.
“It’s very rare, but for me it wouldn’t matter,” he added. “If she can play baseball, then she can play baseball.”
Unfortunately Russo passed away at the early age of 39, on October 25, 2022.
“She was a really good player and she wasn’t just a pitcher, she played around the field and was just a really nice person,” Schlegel said. “I’m lucky to have been able to coach her.”
MORE ON THE WAY
It likely won’t be nearly as long of a wait before we see the next girl play baseball at the varsity level.
Shenendehowa has two female student-athletes on its freshman baseball team, while there is one on the Niskayuna modified team.
“We have two freshman girls, Ella Perino and Courtney Fitch, playing on the freshman baseball team,” said Shenendehowa varsity coach Greg Christodulu. “They’re both more than deserving. They work hard and love the game; they’re competitive. Ella’s a catcher by trade and Courtney is a pitcher and third baseman. I know Courtney’s had a few hits already this season.”
Niskayuna coach Chris Bianchi said that Anya Buhrmaster is currently a player on the Silver Warriors’ modified team.
“I think it’s better for the game to be more inclusive,” Tse said. “I have friends who are girls who play baseball at the younger levels of the Suburban Council and I think it’s good to have a role model, so they see someone else that’s doing it.”
“Although I work at an all-boys school, I think that girls’ sports don’t necessarily get the same spotlight that the boys do,” Schlegel said. “So when you see someone like Trista or [Maddie Tse] get on the same stage and play against the boys, I think it’s great for girls’ sports all the way around.”
Contact Kyle Adams at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @kasportsnews.
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