Seymour 3, Wolcott 0

The third-seeded Seymour softball team will be playing for the Nauguatuck Valley Leauge title Thursday. 

Seymour confirmed its reservations for the championship game with a 3 – 0 victory at Wolcott on Tuesday. 

The Wildcats will play top-seeded Woodland (19 – 3) at Naugatuck High School at 4 p.m. Thursday. 

Wolcott dropped to 18 – 4 and awaits its seed for the Class M tournament.

We are playing better and the defense made the plays,” Seymour coach Ken Pereiras said. Our kids play well in big games and know how to compete against good teams.”

Making this win stand out even more for the Wildcats was that their ace pitcher –- junior righty Stephanie Burt –- is nursing an injured right hand and is limited to being the designated player. 

Seymour relied on an ace pitcher in winning five state titles and nine NVL titles since 2000 but since Burt suffered an injury, it operated on a pitching-by-committee basis.

It was sophomore lefty Kelly Ferris’ turn to pitch on Tuesday and she came up big. 

The southpaw Ferris threw a perfect game through four innings before surrendering a single up the middle by Eagles junior co-captain Jackie Couillard in the bottom of the fifth.

Ferris surrendered no walks, struck out five and allowed only two hits. 

I tried not to let the pressure get to me and I tried to pitch my game,” Ferris said. I wanted to win and get to the championship game.”

Sophomore Emily Morris hit a two-out single off the lefty in the bottom of the seventh but the lefty closed the door on Wolcott after that.

Senior captain Amanda Willette helped Ferris with some nice catches in center field and freshman Grace Nisbet made a running catch in left field in the seventh inning to rob sophomore Gabrielle Galucci of a hit.

Willette (2 – 4) ignited the offense by leading off the game with a bunt single and scored with two outs when freshman Carissa Wasikowski reached on an error.

When I get on base, things happen, so I just tried to lay it down on the third base side,” Willette said.

Senior Kim Tirita started a rally in the top of the third with a leadoff bunt single towards first base.

Coach wanted me to get it down,” Tirita said. I saw the first baseman was deep and I tried to put it there.”

Burt drove in Tirita with two outs with a deep triple to right.

The Wildcats had at least one hit in every inning with juniors Crocamo and Emily Coyne smacking hits in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively, and Willette got on base with a bunt single in the fifth.

Seymour scored its second unearned run of the game in the seventh with Crocamo reaching on an error and taking second base on an overthrow to lead off the inning. Senior Paula Schiffer lined a single to right to plate freshman courtesy runner Morgan Scinto.

I tried not to think about it and I tried to make contact,” Schiffer said.

This is the Wildcats’ third win over Wolcott this year.

It’s tough to beat a good team three straight times,” Willette said. We have our off-days but when we’re on, we’re on.”

If Burt is healed, Pereiras will use her on the mound. Otherwise, he’s not sure of his plans.

It will be tough, especially not knowing who we’ll pitch,” he said. We’ll see what happens.”

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