D'Amato Delivers for Cheshire with Walk-Off Home Run

The wind was no friend to the Cheshire softball team Thursday morning at its home field. Until the seventh inning.

Down 5-0 to Southern Connecticut Conference rival Amity entering the bottom of the seventh, the Rams rallied for six runs winning 6-5 on a three-run, walk-off home run by starting pitcher Nicole D'Amato.

The seemingly improbable victory came after a game in which the Cheshire bats were continually frustrated by Amity starter Corina Zdrowski, who induced the Rams to make 16 fly ball or soft line drive outs while giving up nine hits.

But everything changed when the Cheshire hitters started putting the ball on the ground in the seventh and when a strong wind blowing in from right field all morning and early afternoon suddenly started swirling out when D'Amato hit her drive to left-center field to make it just over the fence.

"It was a difference (hitting on the ground), especially on a day like today," Cheshire coach Maureen DiSorbo said. "But the girls were making good contact. Amity's defense, the outfield, was playing spectacular. They were coming up with the plays.

"We tried to change the philosophy in the dugout and said. 'Look we've got to put the ball down. We've got to move runners and execute. That last inning was surprising because the pace and tone of the game was definitely in Amity's favor by the third inning. That was a pretty exciting win and a huge Housatonic victory for us," DiSorbo said.

Cheshire improves to 6-1, 2-0 SCC Housatonic Division. Amity is 6-2, 1-1.

"Our pitcher maybe lost a little bit of pop on the ball (in the seventh)," Amity coach Bob Purcell said. "She got a little bit tired. We left too many runners on base (eight). We should have scored more runs. (Cheshire) did what they had to do."

The seventh started with No. 9 hitter Chelsea Mongillo's leadoff double to left. Carline Kushner reached on a throwing error by Amity third baseman Jessica Hoffer scoring Mongillo and putting Kushner on second.

BryAnna McIntosh (2-for-3) followed with a single to advance Kushner to third. Anna Marcucilli then drove in Kushner with a single for the Rams' second run. McIntosh scored from second on a first-pitch base hit by Ali Giannone (2-for-4). After Lauren Fountain flew out to left field, the stage was set for D'Amato (2-for-4, three RBI), who launched the first pitch she saw from Zdrowski for the game winner.

"I knew that there was only one out, so I tried to get the ball in play," D'Amato said. "I was trying to keep it lower because of the wind.

"That was a lot of fun. It felt like redemption a little bit."

D'Amato felt a little redemption because she struggled with her control early. After giving up a run in the first inning on an RBI double by Jacqui Ferraiolo, D'Amato (6-1) allowed two more in the second on consecutive wild pitches.

She got out of a bases-loaded jam in the third without giving up a run and had a 1-2-3 fourth inning. But she gave up two more runs for the 5-0 deficit in the fifth, both unearned, on a passed ball on a strikeout of Hoffer and an RBI double to Dana Blydenburg.

D'Amato finished with three wild pitches and a hit batsman, but also struck out nine while scattering seven hits.

"It was one of those days when the battery just was not in sync," DiSorbo said. "We had conversations to try and get ourselves back in the groove. We were a little up and down today. It wasn't our best work behind the plate but it is still early in the season.

"I have a new catcher back there (Marcucilli), learning how to take control of the game and (maintain) composure back there, to be a wall. And Nicole has to do her part and hit her spots and help her catcher out."

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