Amity Softball Loses to Mercy, Knocked out of SCC Tourney

Haylie Reidy single-handedly knocked the Amity softball team out of the Southern Connecticut Conference tournament Thursday afternoon in Woodbridge.  In addition to hurling a complete game, allowing only three runs on five hits while striking out eight and walking only two, the Mercy High senior right hander also clubbed a pair of two-run doubles, scored a run and recorded four RBI in her team’s 8-3 victory over the Lady Spartans. Amity had come in seeded third with a 15-5 record but were upset by the sixth-seeded Tigers. While Amity is now idle until the CIAC Class LL state tournament gets underway early next week the 12-9 Tigers are back in action on Saturday to face second-seeded Sheehan High in the tourney semi-finals.

According to Amity Coach Bob Purcell, “We didn’t look smart or smooth in yesterday’s (4-1) loss to West Haven or today. We really hit the ball well all spring but not yesterday or today. I’m not sure why but our hitting eye abandoned us during our last two games.  This is a very disappointing loss. We had higher expectations for ourselves. Our pitching wasn’t the issue. You can’t win if you don’t score runs. We got down 8-0 and let things get away from us. Our pitch selection wasn’t good. We were swinging at bad pitches and looking at the good ones go by us.”

In the top of the third inning, Mercy’s Kelly Murphy drew a one-out walk. Brooke Franco bunted her up a base and Kelly moved over to third on Tori Vickerman’s single into left field. Reidy stepped in and drilled her first two-run double into the right center field gap. Taylor Keegan followed with an RBI single up the middle that gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead. Christine Idiong’s base hit sent Keegan around to third base. The two Tigers then pulled off a perfectly-executed double steal that resulted in Keegan sliding home with her team’s fourth run of the inning.

Things went from bad to worse for Amity in the top of the sixth inning. Idiong led off with a walk and Ashley Petit spanked a base hit. After Sophia Panaccone’s sacrifice bunt moved both Mercy base runners into scoring position, Hillary Rose’s infield single drove Idiong home with her team’s fifth run of the afternoon.  Franco’s single to right field drove in Petit to make it 6-0 and knock Amity starting pitcher Taylor Baker out of the game.  Corina Zdrowski came in to replace Baker and got Vickerman to bang into a fielder’s choice that erased Panaccone (who had reached base safely on a fielding error by Brown) at home plate. With two out and the bases-loaded, Reidy stroked a double past first base and right down the right field foul line. That two-run two-bagger gave Mercy an 8-0 lead.

After being limited to only two hits over the first five innings, Amity finally got to Reidy for three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Emily Fox reached base safely on an error by Vickerman, who was the Tiger shortstop. Jacqui Ferraiolo’s free pass set the stage for Baker, who singled up the middle and drove in Fox with her team’s first run. Dana Blydenberg followed with a two-run single into left center field.

Still trailing 8-3, Amity seemingly had runners on the corners when Jenn Post spanked a base hit. The alert Tiger defense saw that Blydenberg had taken a very generous turn around third base. A quick throw from left fielder Nina Zimmitti nailed Blydenberg, who was unable to get safely back to the base. Seeing the action focused on the third base, pinch runner Julie Luce tried to sneak over to second base, but was also cut down. Instead of runners on the corners with only one out, Amity had run itself into a bizarre, inning-ending twin killing. The Black and Gold meekly went down in order in  the bottom of the seventh inning.

“Mercy did a good job today,” Purcell said. “They have a senior pitcher who is a quality pitcher and did not rattle under pressure. They also hit the ball well. On the other hand, we can’t wait until the bottom of the sixth to get something going offensively. We haven’t shown any offensive consistency and we haven’t been making the best of our scoring opportunities during our last two games. It’s time to move on. We have to find a way to stay positive. There isn’t any room now for excuses. There’s no tomorrow when you are in the state tournament. One loss and we are done.”

In addition to being the winning pitcher, Reidy led the winners’ 10-hit attack with her pair of two-baggers, run, and four RBI. Vickerman added a pair of singles and scored a run.  Post spanked two base hits and stole a base for the Lady Spartans.