Branford battery sign letters of intent

Branford's Morgan Brennan (left) and Laila Arnold signed to play college softball. Photo by Mike Ridaught
Branford's Morgan Brennan (left) and Laila Arnold signed to play college softball.
Photo by Mike Ridaught

It’s been an impressive run for the Branford softball team.

The Lady Buccaneers have been to three final fours in the past four years, and they’ve played in the last two Class 1A state championship games.

Catcher Morgan Brennan and pitcher Laila Arnold were eighth graders on the 2021 team that lost to Trenton, 3-2, in the state semifinals.

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As sophomores, they advanced to the state championship game in 2023 but lost 7-4 to Liberty County (Bristol).

They returned to the title game as juniors last year and lost a 6-5 heartbreaker in eight innings to Trenton, which also won the 2021 title.

Morgan Brennan
Photo by C.J. Gish Branford’s Morgan Brennan batted .370 with 34 hits and 25 runs batted in last season.

The Branford battery has had a huge impact on the softball program.

On Tuesday, the Bucs’ duo signed their letters of intent to play softball at the next level.

“It’s great because I’ve coached them since such a young age and I’ve known their dreams have been to get to this point,” said Branford softball coach Oscar Saavedra, whose team finished 24-7 last year. “It’s a great satisfaction as a coach to see them reach the next level because at the beginning that’s all we preach that if you put in the time and you put in the work, this will happen.”

They joined teammates Alex Whitfield and Chloe Criggall (University of West Florida) and Ellie Frierson (Santa Fe College) as college signees.

Brennan signed with Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne while Arnold inked with Florida Gateway College in Lake City.

“It means so much,” said Brennan. “For me, it’s always been my dream. I want to play professional softball. I wanted to do it all.”

Branford pitcher Laila Arnold. File photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Branford pitcher Laila Arnold went 16-3 from the circle in 2024 with a 1.60 earned run average and 172 strikeouts.

Last year as a junior, Brennan batted .370 with 34 hits, 25 runs batted in and four doubles. She also had a 1.000 fielding percentage behind the plate in 249 total chances (222 putouts and 27 assists).

“She’s a player that gives everything she’s got,” Saavedra said. “It’s a tough position (catcher). You’ve got to be tough and willing to put in the work, and she’s always done it. She gets down and gets dirty.”

Arnold is staying close to home. She appreciates and wants to play for her community.

In the circle, Arnold was 16-3 in 2024 with a 1.60 earned run average. In 152.2 innings pitched she only walked 53 and struck out 172.

“Laila is the perfect kid for the job just because of the mental side of it,” Saavedra said. “Nothing bugs her, nothing messes with her head and that’s why she’s so successful being a pitcher.”

Saavedra said there is definitely a chemistry between the two.

“As long as they’ve been playing here for the school, for me, it’s been ups and downs and I mean they’re like sisters,” he said. “They have their bad days, they have their good days, but at the end of the day they love each other, and they support each other which is so important.”

The team remembers the loss to the Tigers (23-2) in last year’s state championship game, but they don’t bring it up.

“It was a building moment,” Arnold said. “I call it a building moment because it just builds your character even more and it builds your softball skills even more. Just the fight to be better is basically what you accomplish or get out of it. But every point we got to last year was an amazing milestone so I’m glad to be able to do it again.”

She feels like this team can get back to the final four.

“If everyone has the same mentality, I feel like we will,” Arnold said. “We all have the skills to get there, as shown, but it’s just mentality and maturity that we need to have that I’ve already seen with everyone’s demeanor and overall attitude about it.”

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