Softball

The Suffield Tigers hosted the Millbrook Mustangs in the season opener on Rachel Carey Field. The Tigers played solid ball notching a 6-0 victory

Offensively the Tigers did the damage in the second and third innings scoring three runs in both frames. In the second Adrianna Bailey-Stewart and Caroline Martorelli both drew walks. Alana Clarke pushed them over to second and third with a ground ball to the shortstop setting up Adrianna to score on a passed ball. Lauren Dobler then ripped a single to right field scoring Martorelli and using aggressive base running to reach second on a Mustang miscue. After advancing to third on a passed a ball Dobler raced home on Sammi Santacroce’s infield single. In the third inning the top of the order brought the heat with. Kyla Brogan and ABS driving back-to-back doubles setting the stage for Martorelli who crushed a triple to left center. Clarke then drove in the final run for the Tigers with another hard ground ball to shortstop.

Suffield jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first when Sammi Santacroce got aboard on a Martlet error followed by a Sara Gilbert base hit up the middle. With one out Adrianna Bailey-Stewart pushed across Santacroce and sent Gilbert to third with a base. ABS then stole second and Lauren Dobler drove a clutch two out line drive single to right field driving in Gilbert and ABS. Westminster picked up a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning, and after one the Tigers held a 3-1 advantage.

In the top of the third it was Gilbert and ABS again punishing the Marlets. Gilbert started the inning with her second hit of the game. Gilbert then got on her horse and scored on Adrianna’s double to the gap giving the Tigers a 4-1 lead.

Westminster was able to claw their way back in the middle innings with a single run in the bottom half of the third and two runs in the bottom of the fifth. With the score knotted at four in the top of the seventh Kyla Brogan wrapped a one out single down the left field line and promptly stole second. After working a 3-2 count, ABS pushed a pop-up foul on the right side of the infield that the Marlet first basement fumbled giving ABS a second life in the at bat. She made the Martlets pay driving the next offering on a line over the left field fence giving the Tigers a 6-4 lead. In the bottom of the seventh Westminster was able to scrap together two base runners, but with they were stranded by Kyla Brogan striking out Westy’s clean-up hitter to end the game.

In the circle Sarah Gilbert started for the Tigers and pitched a fantastic first two innings keeping Westminster off balance and super charging the Tigers confidence. Kyla Brogan relieved Gilbert to start the third and was her usual dominate self. Anchoring the battery all game was ABS who moved to behind the dish for the first time since fifth grade and Caroline Martorelli who was calling pitches from the sidelines. The ABS/Martorelli duo brought calm and comedy to the Tigers keeping the team loose and the pitchers in control. In addition to catching the rock, ABS also threw out two runners on the basepaths in the fourth inning quelling a Westminster threat.

In the top of the seventh, however, Suffield again got the bats rolling. This time it was JuJu Booth our latest hoops star convert that sparked the Tigers. JuJu playing for the first time since 5th grade, ripped a leadoff double over the Taft outfield jump starting the Tigers. From here it again was aggressive and strong hitting up and down the lineup and Suffield again had pushed across another four runs to take the lead 8-4.

Taft however was not quite finished yet. They put together a strong rally putting runners on the basepaths and making Suffield pay for its mistakes. However, Tigers Ace Kyla Brogan, shifted to another gear and struck out the last batter ending the threat.

On offense it was the usual suspects in the middle of the line-up causing most of the damage. Sara Gilbert, Kyla Brogan, Adrianna Bailey-Stewert and Caroline Martorelli were on the basepaths all day. The Tigers were aggressive with their baserunning all day. Suffield runners took 3 or 4 extra bags on close plays that directly resulted in the Tigers scoring runs we otherwise would not have. Caroline was top tiger on the day going 3-3 with 4 RBI’s.