By Michael Letendre

SOUTH WINDSOR – Bristol Eastern softball’s 8-7 loss to South Windsor on Monday is a contest the program would love to forget as soon as possible.

It was a game that the Lancers (9-5) had built a 4-0 lead in after five innings of play.

But a huge three-run home run from South Windsor’s Lyndsay Donston and an RBI single by Kenadie Gonzalez tied the contest up at 4-4 after seven completed innings – forcing extra frames.

Eastern notched three runs in the top of the ninth in what appeared to be the game-winning tallies, but the Bobcats also struck for three as the game was tied 7-7.

And the contest continued into the tenth when South Windsor finally put its game-winning drive together.

Grace Berashski blasted out a triple in the bottom of the tenth but after two strikeouts from Eastern pitcher Ali Tellier, the game looked poised for another frame.

But a passed ball scored Berashski from third base as South Windsor came away with a big 8-7 victory in the end.

Tellier was tremendous as she racked up 15 strikeouts and allowed just 11 hits over ten-plus innings of action.

Bridget Doherty earned the victory for the Bobcats, moving to 9-5 overall off the winning endeavor.

Eastern scooped up 13 total hits as five of those went for extra-bases.

Tellier and Shorette blasted shots out of the park for home runs while Sam Policki, Jasmine Perez, and Janessa Gonzalez all added doubles to lead the visiting outfit.

Gonzalez had an RBI double in the first frame to get Eastern on the scoreboard and when she dropped in an RBI single in the third, the Lancers led it, 2-0.

Tellier then attempted to help her cause in the fifth and sixth stanzas.

She smashed out her homer in the fifth and then added an RBI base hit in the sixth as Eastern led 4-0 going into the bottom of the seventh.

Errors did not help Eastern in the least as the program committed six overall for the game.

After the Bobcats tied the game up at 4-4, Tellier retired the home team in order in the eighth and the Kingstreeters went for three runs in the top of the ninth.

Sam Policki doubled to start the inning and when Jazmyn Browne drew a base-on-balls, ducks were on the pond for Shorette.

She then took the ball out of the park as her three-run home run made it a 7-4 game as South Windsor was forced to respond.

And the team did – highlighted by a two-RBI single from Lindsay Carter – and going into the 10th, the contest was still tied, this time at 7-7.

The Lancers were retired in order in the top of the tenth and then the Bobcats scooted across one final run in the bottom of the inning as Eastern dropped a tough 8-7 decision on the road.

Tellier went 4-for-5 with a walk and two RBI while Ryley Giblin laid down two sacrifices that eventually helped Eastern score a couple early runs.

Gonzalez added two hits, as did Policki, while Browne got on base three times via two walks and was hit-by-pitch.

Shorette added two runs scored and three RBI to pace the Lancers’ offense.

CCC Interdivisional Softball

SOUTH WINDSOR 8, BRISTOL EASTERN 7 (10) 

from South Windsor high school 

Bristol Eastern (9-5) 101 011 003 0  – 7 13 5

South Windsor (9-5) 000 000 403 1 – 8 11 0

WP: Bridget Doherty (SW); LP: Ali Tellier (BE, 9-4)

Bristol Eastern Batting

2B – Sam Policki, Jasmine Perez, Janessa Gonzalez

3B – None

HR – Ali Tellier, Alex Shorette

South Windsor Batting

2B – Lyndsay Donston

3B – Grace Berashski 

HR – Lyndsay Donston

Records: South Windsor 9-5 overall; Bristol Eastern 9-5 overall