There may not be a better way for a team to earn its first win in program history than how the Msgr. McClancy M.H.S., East Elmhurst, junior varsity softball team earned theirs.

In the first game on their brand new field, the Lady Crusaders plated 15 runs in the first inning en route to a 17-2 victory over Christ the King R.H.S., Middle Village.

“It feels good to be part of history, but I actually feel better for the girls,” said head softball coach Frank Cammallere, who has been an assistant boys’ varsity basketball coach at McClancy for the past six years under Don Kent. “It’s more about them. They put in a lot of hard work, giving up a lot of their time. It’s been a learning experience for them as well as for me, so I’m happy for them.”

The school went coed in fall 2012 and has welcomed a vibrant girls’ sports program. The girls’ volleyball team reached the Brooklyn/Queens championship game in the fall, while the girls’ basketball team captured the Brooklyn/Queens title in just its first season.

Freshman pitcher Kayla Boggs picked up the first hit and first RBI at the new McClancy field with a first-inning run-scoring triple that just stayed fair down the left field line. From there, the team worked out seven straight walks against Lady Royal pitcher Emily Shergalis.

“When I hit the triple, I think that got everyone happy and hyped up,” Boggs said. “They wanted to do their best and follow that up, so it just kept progressing from there.”

Freshman shortstop Eireann Corbett cleared the bases with a three-RBI triple later in the inning, and several batters later, freshman catcher Ashley Martin delivered a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle.

When the dust settled after the bottom of the first, the Lady Crusaders had batted around twice and gave Boggs a 15-run cushion.

Boggs found herself in a few jams on the mound, but she was able to minimize the damage and hold the Lady Royals to just two runs in four innings. She also recorded eight of her 12 outs via the strikeout.

An enthusiastic crowd was on hand to cheer on the Lady Crusaders – who all wore matching eye-black – in their first home game. The team is made up of 19 freshmen competed against other junior varsity teams made up of both freshmen and sophomores.

Coach Cammallere jumped at the opportunity to coach this team, since he still plays softball competitively and has played softball all over the east coast of the country and in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

The players are excited to continue learning the game this season and keep improving their skills on the softball diamond.

“The coaches have helped us a lot, and we’re going to progress through the season to become a better team,” Martin said.

Though the Lady Crusaders have higher expectations than just winning one game, this win will forever be etched into the McClancy record books, as the seeds of another competitive softball program have been planted here in New York City.

“It’s the first win in Lady Crusader softball history,” Boggs said. “This will be remembered.”