Amity Softball Topples Sheehan in Close Match

With the Amity and Sheehan softball teams tied 2-2 as the Lady Spartans came to bat in the bottom of the sixth inning, Corinna Zdrowski slapped a one-out single past first base and down the right field line. After Heather Watt was hit by a pitch, Zdrowski’s pinch runner, Andrea Noss was erased at third base on a fielder’s choice by Heather Ferrante. Pinch hitter Emily Fox (batting for Jenn Post) slapped a dribbler between first and second base. As it rolled into shallow right field Watt raced home from second base with that proved to be the winning run. Ironically, the ball went through a hole that had been created when Titan second baseman Alex Ottochian raced to cover second base as pitcher Kayla Humphry released the ball.

Looking back at his team’s 3-2 victory, Amity coach Bob Purcell said, “Winning a close game against a divisional opponent is very sweet. Corinna wasn’t overpowering but she hit her spots. She had a no-hitter for three innings and ended up with a three-hitter and 10 strike outs. Even though she began to tire toward the end of the game, she kept pushing. I thought our defense was great today. We didn’t make an error. When you make all the routine plays, you will be in most games. We still have some things to work on but there were also lots of positive today.”

The Southern Connecticut Conference—Housatonic Division contest (which was played in Woodbridge) was scoreless for the first two and a half innings. Ferrante led off the home half of the third inning by lashing a double off losing pitcher Dani Thuerling. Following that two-bagger into right center field, Theurling dropped Post’s pop fly along the third base line. C.J. Semones drilled a base hit up the middle that drove pinch runner Katie Reynolds home with Amity’s first run. One out later, Jacqui Ferraiolo followed with another run-scoring shot into center field.

That 2-0 lead was short-lived. With two outs, Sarah Murray lined a double into right field and came on home when Lex Bukowski singled into right-center field. Shortly thereafter, she raced home with the tying run on Humphry’s base hit. Those three hits were the only hits that the Titans recorded against Zdrowski, who upped her record to 7-1.

Purcell added, “We only had seven hits today but most of them were timely hits. We still need to work on our bunting and our cut off plays. When we cut off the ball coming in from the outfield after a base hit, we can hold runners at first base and keep them from advancing into scoring position.”

With this Housy win, Amity upped its record to 7-2 (1-1 in the Housy). The Titans drop to 4-4, 1-2.

Noting that his team rebounded nicely after Friday’s 6-5 painful walk-off loss to Cheshire, Purcell said, “Now we have five road games in a row. We want to keep winning, hoping to stay close to Cheshire and get them next time we play them.”