Sports

Softball Team Blanks Green Wave But Falls To Lancers

By Andy Hutchison

Published: May 28, 2021 08:00 AM

Coming off a 2-0 win over visiting, sixth-seeded New Milford in the South-West Conference tournament on May 22, the No. 3 Newtown High School girls’ softball team set out to avenge a pair of tough regular-season setbacks to second-seeded Notre Dame-Fairfield in the May 25 semifinals.

Newtown took to the road to face the Lancers, where NHS endured a wild 15-14 loss. There were not the same offensive fireworks in this matchup as Notre Dame prevailed 3-1, ending Newtown’s conference title hopes.

A seventh-inning rally came up short. A triple by Sarah Kick and RBI single by Gina Lewis produced a run and kept the Nighthawks from being shut out, but was all the Nighthawk bats could muster. Newtown pitcher Sydney Adolfson was stellar, allowing just one earned run and striking out 11 in the defeat.

NHS had beaten New Milford in extra innings in the last game of the slate after falling to the Green Wave back in the season opener. In the playoff win over New Milford, Adolfson gave up four hits and struck out seven. Morgan Melillo had a single and run scored, Kick delivered an RBI triple, and Lewis doubled and scored. Newtown batters did not strike out.

“We put the ball in play and they made the plays,” Newtown Coach Joanna Closs said. “Luckily we were able to squeak across a couple runs.”

After Newtown fell twice each to Masuk and Notre Dame-Fairfield in the regular season, Closs was hopeful of seeing both teams again. Both of the Notre Dame games were tough ones for the Nighthawks to swallow as they fell in extra innings at home and on a walk-off hit in the seventh inning on the road — and costly errors impacted both outcomes.

“I wanted this matchup for a while. When we lost to them the second time, I wanted to see them a third time,” Closs said of facing Notre Dame in hopes of a third-time-is-the-charm scenario.

The second game with Masuk was 1-0 nail-biter in the final week of the regular slate, and gave the Nighthawks confidence they could hang with and find a way to beat the top-seeded Panthers, but the Lancers prevented that chance at an upset by denying NHS redemption in the semifinals.

The season is not over, however, and it is on to the state tournament for the Nighthawks. NHS is the No. 11 seed and will host No. 22 Norwalk in the Tuesday, June 1, Class LL state tourney first round at 4 pm.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.

Rachel Casagrande throws the ball in from center field as right fielder Katie Goyda backs up the play during SWC tournament action. —Bee Photos, Hutchison

Second baseman Ashley Hubner tosses the ball to second base for a force out.

Shortstop Bri Pellicone sets to throw across to first for the out.

Sarah Kick prepares to make a play at first base.

Sydney Adolfson delivers a pitch to home plate.

Maddie Twitchell takes her lead off first base.

Cam Powers takes her lead off second base.

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Softball Team Blanks Green Wave But Falls To Lancers

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