By Kim J. Harmon

Stamford Tent had to be considered the favorite to win the Women’s Slo-Pitch Softball League championship on Monday night at Treadwell Park based, rather simply as it were, on a spectacular regular season.

But Stamford Tent still found itself down, 5-4, to a solid Walker Industrials team (this was the not the same Walker team that was beaten 18-3 earlier in the season) heading into the bottom of the last inning.

And that’s when the rally started.

Deb Gaboriault blooped a single to right field to lead off the bottom of the seventh, but was forced out at second on an infield hit by Sue Ormsbee. Eileen Frattaroli followed, however, with a bloop single to center that put runners on first and second.

A rather large crowd was now rockin’ the pavilion area with cheers and it got even more rockin’ when Nancy Bowen ripped a single to left-center that scored Ormsbee with the tying run and put runners back on first and second.

Chris Liberante then singled sharply to left, loading the bases.

Walker Industrials was trying desperately to cling to the tie, but it seemed inevitable – with still two outs to go – that Stamford Tent would pull out a hit or a sacrifice fly or something that would score Frattaroli with the winning run.

It didn’t take long.

Ellen Goyda stepped to the plate and with one sharp grounder through Walker Industrials drawn in infield, Frattaroli – with a thunderous roar from some 200 fans accompanying her – scored the winning run that lifted Stamford Tent right to the championship.

It was a thrilling game, right from the first inning when Walker Industrials took an early 2-0 lead on three singles, a sacrifice fly, and a throwing error at home plate. But Stamford Tent came back with two runs of its own in the bottom of the frame after Gaboriault led off with a double and Ormsbee followed with a single.

Stamford Tent kept Walker Industrials from taking a lead in the top of the second with a sparkling defensive play at home plate. But Walker took the lead anyway in the top of the third, 3-2, with a couple sharp hits and a little luck.

In the bottom of the fourth, Stamford Tent took the lead back, 4-3, and did it all with two outs. Frattaroli banged a two-out single and Bowen reached on an infield error and both came home on a double by Goyda.

But the see-saw was still working fine in the top of the sixth as Walker Industrials scored two to take a 5-4 lead. Karen Corkum singled and scored on a triple. Joanne Didonato then singled in the go-ahead run.

The bottom of the sixth passed without incident, as did the top of the seventh, leaving it all up to Stamford Tent in the bottom of the seventh.

Then came the rally.

Gaboriault, Ormsbee and Frattaroli did most of the damage for Stamford Tent at the top of the order, each going 2-for-3 while combining for five of the team’s six runs (Gaboriault scored once while Ormsbee and Frattaroli scored twice each). Bowen was 1-for-3 with a run scored and Goyda was 2-for-3 with a double. Angie Jaylon banged out a pair of singles while Jeannette Cebry and Monica DeFeo each had a single.

Stamford Tent reached the finals with a 13-6 second-round, playoff win over JP McGuire that ended just a few minutes before the championship game. In that game, Stamford Tent had to rally back from deficits of 3-0 and 5-4 to put JP McGuire away.

Gaboriault, Ormsbee and Frattaroli had two hits and two runs scored apiece, leading the charge for Stamford Tent. The big hit was Frattaroli’s three-run homer in the bottom of the first that tied the score at 3-3.

Bowen was 2-for-3 with a single and a triple while Goyda was 2-for-3 with a single and a double. June Frost had a nice day, banging out three singles in three trips to the plate, while DeFeo, Jaylon and Patty Fogelstrom had two hits apiece. Fogelstrom and Padget Haylon each scored a pair of runs for Stamford Tent.

Doris Ratner and Marianne Fisher each singled.

And adding in Maureen Shimko’s fielder’s choice grounder in the bottom of the fourth, 14 of the 15 players who stepped to the plate for Stamford Tent reached base at least once in this game – with eight different people scoring runs.

That’s balance.

Stamford Tent’s first step in the direction of the title game almost proved to be a misstep as the eventual champions narrowly squeaked out a 2-1, first-round playoff win over Emmett & Glander. Down 1-0 in the fourth, a two-out rally led to two runs and – ultimately – to the win.

With two outs and a runner on first, Bowen roped a double that tied the score, 1-1. Bowen later would score as Fisher, Goyda and Liberante followed with back-to-back-to-back singles.

The scoring ended there, however, and Stamford Tent was able to make the two runs stand up.

NOTE: Sorry, ladies, but photos were unavailable of this thrilling championship game due to a broken camera.