HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — Perfection is the only way to describe Hudsonville Softball.
The Pirates ended the year 42-0 after beating Lake Orion to claim their first state title since 2012.
"I don't know that you ever sit back and say, God, we're 20-0, maybe we can get to 40. I don't think you ever look at it that way," said Tom Vruggnik, Hudsonville softball head coach. "You get a big winning streak going, and then you start to look at it and say, let's just win one at a time here and just see how far we can go."
"From what I heard it hasn't been done before in Michigan, not 42 wins in a row," Vruggink continued. "There may have been a few teams that finished undefeated, but I don't know if they won a state championship with it to finish the season."
Hudsonville shut out Lake Orion in the championship game with a 5-0 win after blowing out Farmington Hills Mercy 10-0 in the semi-finals.
Hudsonville is the first division one softball team to not allow a run in either round since 2011.
"When I saw Ava [Snip] strike out that last batter, me and our right fielder looked at each other and we just knew that we did it," centerfielder Megan Beemer said. "Giving my two pitchers hugs were like the best feeling ever."
The pitching duo of Ava Snip and Ellyson Koopman is a first of its kind at Hudsonville. The duo had a combined 37-0 record this season including 21 shutouts.
"Just the defense behind me...I never lost faith in them, said Koopman. "[I] just always believed whatever I would pitch they would get..."
Koopman also ended the year second in program history in career home runs.
Meanwhile, Snip is the first-ever left handed pitcher in program history.
"It means a lot to me, which is really cool to think about like no one's ever been a lefty pitcher at Hudsonville," said Snip, who has a 36-0 record over the past two seasons.
Historic is also a word that can be used to describe Megan Beemer. She racked up single-season school records in runs scored (84), walks (43), stolen bases (61), and batting average (.620).
"I've been playing with some of these girls since I've been eight years old," said Beemer. "Doing it with these girls and being next to them all throughout my life has been just an amazing feeling."
I've watched that last pitch probably a dozen times in the last two days, and every time I watch it, I start to get emotional," said Vruggnik. "...we just felt like we were destined."
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