Syracuse High honors retiring Kelly Anderson, the school’s only softball coach
Titans add thrilling win to senior day and coach recognition
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- Syracuse High softball players cheer for head coach Kelly Anderson, left, during a handshake line Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Syracuse.
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- Longtime and retiring Syracuse High softball coach Kelly Anderson, left, receives gifts while he’s recognized before a home softball game on Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Syracuse.
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- Syracuse High’s Oaklee Derrickson takes a cut at a Farmington pitch in a softball game Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Syracuse.
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- Syracuse High’s Olivia Harker (20) winds up to attempt a double play as Farmington’s Jane Frey (6) slides into second on Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Syracuse.
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- Syracuse High’s Haydin Giatras looks the ball into her glove during a game against Farmington on Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Syracuse.
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- Syracuse High’s Oaklee Derrickson (8) slides into third base where Farmington’s Brooklyn Wright attempts a tag on Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Syracuse.
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- Farmington softball players Brooklyn Wright, center, and Lill Topham celebrate a home run against Syracuse on Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Syracuse.
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- Farmington High’s Jane Frey hustles on the basepaths during a softball game at Syracuse on Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Syracuse.
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- Farmington High’s Lilliana Zavala swings at a Syracuse pitch on Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Syracuse.
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- Farmington’s Brooklyn Wright socks a home run at Syracuse on Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Syracuse.
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- A person dressed with a knight’s helmet is seen during a softball game between Syracuse and Farmington on Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Syracuse.
SYRACUSE — In classic fairy tale lore, the good guys triumph in the end and live happily ever after.
Syracuse girls softball coach Kelly Anderson is one of the good guys.
Anderson has announced his retirement from coaching, and the Titans honored him on senior night before their final region home game Thursday against Farmington.
Then, in storybook fashion, the Titans celebrated their coach by coming back — twice — against the Phoenix, sending him out a winner.
Senior second baseman Olivia Harker bounced a single up the middle and cached Oaklee Derrickson’s one-out triple in the bottom of the seventh inning, and Syracuse nipped Farmington 13-12 in a Region 1 walk-off thriller.
“I was stressed a little bit but I realized we only had one out, so as long as I get a base hit — bat on ball — she has a chance to score. Do my thing and put the ball in play,” Harker said. “We just needed to get base hits … get one run in. Not thinking too aggressively, stay calm and composed in the box.”
Harker has played for Anderson for four years and praised his tough love approach to the game.
“You have to understand Andy. He is very set on what he wants and he knows who good players are. That can be a little scary, but he is a great coach and I’ve never felt so safe and at home with a coach,” Harker said. “He made me feel like more than just an athlete; more like a human who has things to accomplish in life.”
Anderson has been the only softball coach the Titans have ever had since the school opened, starting out as athletic director, then taking the reins 18 years ago for their inaugural season, notably before any of this current crop of players were even born.
Combining his years at Bountiful, and years coaching football and basketball, Anderson said he has logged more than 30 years as a mentor to young players.
“Way too many kids to choose a favorite. I’ve had an opportunity to be around great kids for 30 years,” Anderson said. “It’s been a long career so I’ve got a lot of kids that I’ve had the pleasure to work with. It’s time. It’s time for me to find a new chapter; it’s time for me to do something different. It’s time for someone else to take this group and make it better.”
Anderson may have retired last year but had an urge to return to close out the careers of what he considers a special group of seniors, including Harker, Jazmine Prathan, Brielle Pierce, Jaidyn Franco, Hannah Reed, Grace Thomas, and Brooklyn Sackowitz — many who have college scholarships and will continue on to the next level.
“It’s a culmination of four years for all of them; it hit them hard today and we had a hard time to get going,” Anderson said.
After a quick 3-0 start through one inning, Syracuse gave up seven runs to Farmington in the second and trailed 7-3.
The Titans uncharacteristically committed five errors in the first four innings and were barely treading water.
“Even our warmups were messy. I felt we were more focused celebrating our seniors and not on the game,” Harker said. “We were all hyped to be here, wanting to win the game for the seniors, for him and we came out the first couple of innings a little slow.
“Andy told us we needed to lock in or else ‘you guys are going to lose this game,'” she continued. “He gave us a pep talk and said ‘you guys need to figure it out and get it together in the field; get your hitting together,’ and that kind of motivated us to get the win for him.”
Syracuse (14-10, 5-3 Region 1) rotated three pitchers through the first two innings before settling on sophomore hurler Avarie Floto for the duration in the top of the third.
Floto didn’t fool the Phoenix but she gritted it out, allowing eight hits and five runs, but was good enough to keep the Titans in the game until their bats caught up.
“(Anderson) said to keep the runs low. Do your job as a pitcher. Throw strikes and allow your defense to be there for you,” Floto said. “I knew I could rely on them; they’re amazing teammates.”
It didn’t happen with one swing of the bat, though, as a two-run double by Sackolwitz still found the Titans down 8-6 after three innings.
Farmington (10-8, 3-5) built an 11-8 lead into the sixth inning, when Syracuse embarked on the first of what turned out to be two fairy tale endings.
Derrickson walked to open the sixth and Prathan doubled her home. Thomas singled in Prathan and, after Olivia Brown walked, Pierce lined a long, opposite-field, two-run single to right and suddenly the Titans had a fantasy-evoking 12-11 lead.
“Coach said wait for my pitch; do everything I can to score them,” Pierce said. “Look for an outside pitch and take it to the right side.”
Farmington countered with a tying run in the top of the seventh, setting the stage for Harker’s magical single in the bottom half.
Not at a loss for hyperbole, Pierce was excited to the max after the walk-off win.
“Perfect. It’s so amazing. Senior night, last game for us, it’s awesome. An amazing feeling all around,” Pierce said.
Memorable stars abounded for the game, as Derrickson and Thomas scored three runs each for Syracuse, while Harker, Brown and Pierce had a trio of hits apiece.
Prathan and Thomas rapped two hits each, and Prathan, Thomas, Brown and Sackolwitz all had two RBIs. Pierce drove in three runs.
Syracuse knocked 14 hits overall, matched by 14 from the visiting Phoenix.
Brooklyn Wright and Sophia Strong notched three hits each for Farmington and both players plated two RBIs on Thursday.
Wright had a solo home run in the seven-run Farmington second inning as the Phoenix batted around.
Anderson stood outside the fence by the Syracuse dugout and gazed east as the junior varsity game got underway.
“I’ve spent a lot of time on this field. This field has been my therapy, my sanctuary through good times and bad times in my life,” Anderson said. “(Retirement) is going to be hard because this is home. This is a tough one.”
