The Milford Sports BLOG

MILFORD—For Foran High senior Abby Corris, it was a whirlwind few months of pressure and pleasure.

Cementing your history at your school as a softball pitcher while also planning your future can feel like that.

In June, Corris pitched the Lions to the Class M state championship, capping Foran’s 28-0 dream season with a 1-0 win over Woodland Regional for the title.

Four days after winning that trophy, Corris decided her future, as well, as she verbally committed to play Division 1 softball at Central Connecticut State University.

“I picked CCSU because as soon as I stepped on campus, I just got that feeling that this is where I belonged, and all the girls on the team were so nice and welcoming to me,” said Corris. “I really loved every part about it; the coaches were very nice and had a great philosophy on their program.”

Plus, she added, playing softball at the highest fulfilled a career-long goal for her.

“Playing D1 softball has been a lifelong dream of mine because I have always worked so hard all my life, but I honestly just wanted to play the sport of softball and love where I ended up,” she said.

She was still in middle school, coming off some great summer seasons with the Milford Little League program, when she first considered taking her game to the level after the next level—which at the time was still high school.

College, however, became a draw and it was former Foran player Kendall LaMorte who helped plant that seed.

“From a young age, I wanted to play softball forever and do it at a high level, but I learned about playing in college when I was about 12 or 13, when someone at Foran (LaMorte) before I was there committed to play softball in college at CCSU,” Corris said. “Seeing her doing big things made me want to do the same for myself.”

Around Milford, where Foran is located, Corris has become a bit of a big thing. If it wasn’t the Little League Softball runs her teams had back in the day, winning a state title can make you a local celebrity.

“It was honestly so incredible I can barely put it into words,” Corris said. “I would go to stores sometimes, and people would recognize who I am and congratulate me and what I’ve done. But I can’t be out on that field all by myself. My team really helped me through it all. They all had my back when I didn’t believe in myself and always offered me support when I needed it.”

Off the field, Corris has also gotten support from her pitching coach of four years, Jen Russell.

“I definitely credit my success as a pitcher to my pitching coach,” Corris said. “She is the best. Everything that I know as a pitcher, I give her all the credit because she helped shape who I am as a pitcher and as a person.”

Once she gets through all her upcoming winter workouts, one last season at Foran remains.

What goals does Corris have left as a Lion?

“For my last and final year at Foran, I hope to stay healthy and assist my team in any way I can,” she said. “I can’t even tell you how many people come up to me and ask, ‘Are you gonna win the championship again?’ or ‘Are you gonna go back-to-back?’, and the truth is, I can’t say if we will or not. Many things can change in those times, and we need to take things one game at a time. We haven’t even started the season, so for now, I just want to stay healthy and prepare myself for college softball.”

And what goals might she have for college, where Corris hopes to major in education?

“As a college player, I would like to first of all, make sure that I am doing well in my studies and getting good grades,” she said. “Second, I would like to make sure I am healthy and taking care of myself to ensure that I can play in all my years of college.”

Softball has given Abigail Corris so much since she first picked up that yellow ball.

Friendships. Trophies. A college education.

It’s a sport that is a part of Abigail Corris.

“To me, softball symbolizes hard work that I have put in all my life, and it gives me the freedom to express myself in doing something that I love,” she said.