VIDEO: Canton Little League clinches Section 3 crown
Canton’s Sam Archibald gets a game-ending strikeout with the bases loaded to secure a 12-7 win over Parkway in the Section 3 final on July 23, 2023.
Eric McHugh, The Patriot Ledger
Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won the MLB Home Run Derby two weeks ago.
One of Guerrero Jr.’s biggest fans, inspired by his 72 home runs in the derby, is hoping to mirror that performance. Molly Schlossberg, a 12-year-old softball player from East Bridgewater, will be competing in the Little League Home Run Derby at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, home to the Royals, on Sunday. Schlossberg will be swinging for the fences in the softball East Regionals. She won’t be the only local, as Plymouth’s Cole Campbell and fellow EB native Andrew Coates will compete on the baseball side of the event.
Schlossberg’s appearance marks the third consecutive year that an EB softball player has reached this stage. Molly’s older sister, Maggie, competed two years ago, and Olivia Atkins went last year.
“I think it’s so cool that’s it’s three girls that have gone the last three years,” said Molly’s mother, Melissa Schlossberg. “Maggie went in ’21, Olivia Atkins went in ’22, and then Molly qualified this year in ’23. So super cool to have three girls from East Bridgewater qualify three years in a row.”
For Molly Schlossberg, she’s excited to get a shot at doing something her older sister got a chance to do. Coming from a home where their whole life “revolves around the sport,” she knows what this means to her and her family.
“I’m really excited to experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Molly.
A special moment at Fenway
To lock up a spot in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby East Regionals in Kansas City, Molly Schlossberg blasted 21 home runs. That was reminiscent of her favorite player’s performance in the 2023 MLB Derby. Molly Schlossberg and Guerrero Jr. shared a moment at a recent Boston Red Sox game when the Toronto Blue Jays were in town.
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On May 3, the Schlossberg family headed to Fenway Park and saw Guerrero Jr. play. Right before he went up to the plate in the third inning, he saw two fellow home-run hitters in the crowd, and then something special happened.
“We were right behind the Blue Jays dugout,” said Melissa Schlossberg. “We had a sign that said, ‘Hit me a dinger for my birthday,’ and he pointed at (Molly) and said, ‘I’ll hit you one’ and he went and hit one, came back, and pointed at her.”
The 450-foot home run over the Green Monster in left field is part of the reason why the Schlossberg sisters are great at hitting. Molly says Guerrero Jr. has influenced the way she plays the game. Now she has a chance to win the home run derby the same year her favorite player also did.
A household of sluggers
Both of Molly’s parents played on the diamond as kids. And after seeing her favorite player hold up a derby champion trophy, she’s excited to try to do the same. She’s been preparing by hitting off the tee, and spending time with her hitting coach. Softball is something she takes seriously.
“Maggie’s my oldest one, she started in T-ball,” said Melissa. “Molly’s always been on the field since she was 3 years old. So she’s always been at the fields with her sister. Molly started playing club when she was 7.
“She joined an 8U team at her sister’s club that they started. So she’s been doing softball club since 7 years old. (She) could hit the ball at the age of 5. My husband had her play up (in a higher age group) in a game.”
Molly is also happy that girls like her are getting a chance to shine. Being the latest in a line of sluggers from East Bridgewater to qualify makes it all the more special.
“It’s really cool that it’s female athletes that are going,” Molly noted. “It says something.”
Molly is friends with Coates, who will compete in the baseball derby. The derby will live-streamed online.
“I think she’s very very excited. She saw her sister do this in 2021,” said Melissa. “Ever since then she’s been wanting to make it herself so she was over-elated when she hit 21, which is the number she hit in the derby, then it would be clear that she made it to Kansas City.”
