Senior Slugger Capozzo, Armada Put Powerful Finish on Historic Championship Run
By
Tim Robinson
Special for MHSAA.com
June 13, 2026
EAST LANSING – Taylor Capozzo had a couple of key roles on the Armada softball team this year.
One was at the plate, where her 14 home runs led an explosive offense.
The other was in the field. On a team with only two seniors, her leadership kept the Tigers focused on the way to the school’s first MHSAA Finals softball championship.
“My job is to lead the best I can,” said Capozzo, whose two-run homer in the first inning Saturday proved to be the only runs Armada needed in a 9-1 victory over Farmington Hills Mercy in the Division 2 championship game.
The title capped a magical season for the Tigers, who got off to a shaky start.
“We had seven errors against Richmond early (in the season),” Armada coach Rob Girvin said. “We said if we can clean up in the field, we can be pretty good.”
That’s not the only thing Girvin saw in his team.
“I told Taylor before (Saturday’s) game that I dreamed she hit a home run,” Girvin said.
Her clout helped relax the Tigers (37-8), who scored in every inning but the seventh.
Charlotte Stang homered and drove in three runs for Armada, which also took advantage of five Mercy errors in the field.
Meanwhile, freshman lefty pitcher Megan Cox was dominant, striking out 13 and allowing just four hits and one unearned run two days after she shut out top-ranked Stevensville Lakeshore in the Semifinal to send her team to the weekend.
In addition, the Tigers had a good-luck charm courtesy of fifth-grader Cody Ballard. He gave Girvin a courage coin given to him during his treatment for leukemia.
“I’ve had it in my pocket since school ended," Girvin said. "I can’t wait to call his mother.”
Mercy coach Alec Lesko, whose team had a similar unexpected tournament run, had no regrets. The Marlins went 6-1 during the tournament to push past .500 and finished 21-18.
“We kept getting better,” Lesko said. “You could see the progress at the end. It was a blessing to coach with my daughter and my grandchildren. I have a big family, and they were all here today.”
PHOTOS (Top) Armada players celebrate their Division 2 championship Saturday at Secchia Stadium. (Middle) Tigers shortstop Helena Fettue applies a tag on Mercy’s Sophia Chaput (28) as she slides into second base.
Moment: Regina Walks Off as Division 1 Champ
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 14, 2020
When Adriana James finishes her Warren Regina softball career in two years, there’s a chance her most tense at bat will have come on the final day of her freshman season.
That afternoon, the last of last spring, saw the freshman James bring home the winning run in Regina’s extra-inning 3-2 Division 1 championship game win over Howell at Secchia Stadium.
Teammate Marisa Muglia opened the bottom of the eighth inning by reaching base on an error. She then moved all the way to third on a sacrifice – and Howell countered by walking the next two batters to set up force plays at every base.
Up stepped James. She’d walked and scored in her first plate appearance, then struck out twice. But this time she swatted the first pitch she saw between the pitcher’s circle and second base. The ball deflected off the pitcher’s glove, giving the runners enough time to advance safely and Muglia plenty to cross the plate with the game winner.
“All (the pitcher’s) balls were moving outside. I just saw the ball right on the inside corner, low, and I just went for it,” James said that day. “We had nothing to lose, and it paid off. I was surprised they walked the two batters because it has really never happened. I was really nervous.’’
Check out coverage of the Final from Second Half, and watch the clinching run score below from the NFHS Network.