Fireside Defeats Black Swan For Third Straight Title

Fireside defeated Black Swan 7-4 for its third straight Newtown Women’s Softball League championship at Treadwell Park on August 17. The game was held a week after its originally scheduled date because of a rainout.

The defending champion and third-seeded Fireside team struck early against the top seed. Fireside scored two runs in the first inning with hits by Anne Doersche, Lindsey Carley, and Shelby Rotunda leading the charge.

Black Swan tied the game in its next at bat and went ahead with a run in the third. Fireside caught up in the top of the sixth with a four-run rally started by a triple by Carley, followed by an RBI double by Rotunda, an RBI single by Jody Morris, and a two-run double by Lynn Bell.

Black Swan kept battling and scored one more run in the top of the seventh inning but Fireside pitcher Anna Christopher pitched an incredible game for the win.

Carley, Rabiya Ansari-Johnston, Melissa Eigen-Ansman, and Stacey Gordon provided flawless defense for Fireside.

For Black Swan, Melissa Fracker pitched seven strong innings and had three hits and scored a run. Carol LaFreniere, Julia Truchsess, and Lisa Grossman each had two hits apiece, with Grossman contributing a two-run double. Laurie Comerford, Rosie Jackman, and Melissa Shepard all played great defensive games.