The Seymour softball team advanced to the second round of the Class M playoffs Tuesday with a 15 – 0 victory over Nonnewaug.
No. 14 seed Seymour scored nine runs in the third inning to break a scoreless tie and raised its record to 18 – 6.
The Wildcats will play at third-seeded Granby (19 – 2) Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Nonnewaug ended its season at 13 – 8.
“We had the big third inning where everyone hit the ball and got us going,” Seymour Coach Ken Pereiras said. “Ferris pitched well and hopefully we’ll be back.”
He was referring to sophomore lefty Kelly Ferris, the team’s No. 2 pitcher, who was filling in for junior righty Stephanie Burt, who is injured.
Ferris showed she’d be the top starter for most teams in tossing a five-inning complete game one-hitter with two walks and seven strikeouts. The game was shortened due to Seymour’s commanding lead.
“I knew how much we wanted it and I came in and threw my hardest,” Ferris said.
Seymour junior Maggie Crocamo was 3 – 3 at the plate to lead the attack.
“I just came here to play because we’re in States and it’s win or go home,” Crocamo said.
In the last two innings, Seymour’s bats were on fire. Eight of the nine starters had at least one hit and the Wildcats pounded Chiefs sophomore righty Sam Haggerty with shots to the outfield and short grounders in the hole that landed for base hits.
Senior Kim Tirita (2 – 3) got things started with a flair to center field that landed for a single and senior captain Amanda Willette (2 – 3) followed with a single to shortstop. Juniors Emily Coyne (1 – 3) smashed an RBI double to left and Kelly Mitchell lined a two-run single to left-center.
The Wildcats added six runs in the fourth to make it 15 – 0 and all Ferris had to do was shut down Nonnewaug in the top of the fifth – which she did – and the game would end. Senior Gianna Alberti delivered an RBI double over the left fielder’s head and junior Kim Ferris (2 – 3) hit a two-run single to right field.
Freshman pinch-hitter Grace Nisbit singled in the inning and classmate Carissa Wasikowski had a single earlier in the game.
“It’s a good win and it will get us ready for the rest of the tournament,” Willette said. “We all got together and concentrated and did what we needed to do.”
