YORK, Maine - York High School sophomore Maddie Fitzgerald singled in the sixth inning in Wednesday's Class B South game against Gray-New Gloucester, a 13-3 win for the state champion Wildcats. However, in the moment, Fitzgerald didn't know the significance of her fourth hit of the game.
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After hitting a triple and a double in her first two at-bats, Fitzgerald blasted a fifth-inning homer, her first of the year, and at the same time, putting her just a single away from hitting for the cycle.
With a single in her final at-bat, Fitzgerald accomplished the cycle - hitting for a single, double, triple and a home run in the game. It is one of the rarest feats in the sports. She also drove in three runs as York improved to 11-0 on the season.
Teammate breaks the news
"I actually didn't know I hit for the cycle at first," Fitzgerald said. "A teammate actually told me. I came back to the dugout and she goes 'I think you hit for the cycle.' I was thinking in my head like 'yeah, I think you're right.'"
The teammate to break the news was Maren Robinson, who seemed to be the only one to know about Fitzgerald's performance.
"We didn't know what was going on until (Robinson) mentioned it in the last inning," York head coach Kevin Giannino said. "I think Maddie was more surprised than anybody about the cycle. But just another great game at the plate, she's been very, very disciplined. The game before, she took two key walks ... she's just been on fire, you can't get her out."
When Robinson broke the news, Fitzgerald was initially confused until she recalled all four of her at-bats.
"I was kind of surprised at first," Fitzgerald said. "It wasn't like I was trying to hit for the cycle. I was just kind of hitting and trying to get on base. First homer of the season was pretty exciting, hopefully more to come. For me, I'm kind of just going up to the plate and trying to get on base."
Cycle is a first for York coach
"She was zoned in, she came ready to play, as she always does," Giannino said. "She put some nice swings on it, and I am not surprised what she was able to do."
Giannino, in her seventh season as York's head coach, doesn't recall another player hitting for the cycle in his tenure.
"We've had girls hit a couple of home runs in a game .. but for the cycle, it's new to me," Giannino said. "It's quite the accomplishment, it doesn't happen very often."
Fitzgerald is not sure if she ever hit for the cycle in all her years playing.
"That was probably one of my best games played, after the regional (championship) game last year," Fitzgerald said. "This was probably my second best."
In that Class B South championship game , an 8-1 win over Lake Region at Saint Joseph's College in Standish, Fitzgerald went 3 for 4 and scored two runs.
Gianinno talked about Fitzgerald's approach at the plate.
"She's been swinging at strikes and just driving the ball into the gap," Giannino said. "The (home run) she hit was a no-doubter. As soon as she hit it, that thing was just long gone. I am not surprised, she's got a beautiful swing and is a good hitter. She's dedicated to her craft and she works hard at it."
Home run was first of the season
Fitzgerald has been waiting to hit a ball over the fence this season.
"I hit one in the preseason," Fitzgerald said. "I missed two games, so I was just kind of wondering when it was going to happen. I was kind of glad I got it out the way. Hopefully, now I'm not worrying about it, and I'm just going up to the plate to hit."
It's widely regarded that hitting a triple is the hardest of the four when hitting for the cycle, but Fitzgerald got that out of the way in the first inning.
"(The pitch) was right down the middle and I'm like 'this is it', hit it," Fitzgerald said. "It went right over the (left fielder's head), and I went to third."
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Sixth-inning single completes cycle for York High School sophomore Maddie Fitzgerald
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