By Michael Letendre
BRISTOL – The Bristol Eastern softball program had a pretty good regular season, winning all of its home games early in the year, shook off a sub-.500 record, and managed to finish at a credible 10-10 – earning the twenty-third ranking in the Class L fray.
Eastern coach Tyler Catlin fit in well over his first season as coach and had a strong senior crew headlined by a very good battery – pitcher Ali Tellier and catcher Janessa Gonzalez – along with Sarah Sneaker, Sam Policki, Grace D’Amato, and Alex Shorette.
“They all had good years,” said Eastern coach Tyler Catlin of his crew. “We belted 22 home runs over the fence. We’ve shown some good offensive production in certain games. We’ve also hit some lulls.”
Offensively proficient is the word because in eight of the Lancers 10 wins, the Kingstreeters have tallied 11 runs or more.
Hitting is contagious and when this team gets on the same page, along with some pretty good defense, Eastern can beat any postseason opponent.
With Tellier’s pitching, a timely hit from either Jazmyn Brown, Ashley Serafin, Makayla Antunes, or Emily Valentine, and bit of defense behind the plate by Gonzalez, Eastern is going to be a tough out.
Eastern is a middle-type seed who played a more than competitive slate of games – prepping the locals for a grueling postseason in the Class L bracket.
“I still think we’re one of the most dangerous teams going into the Class L Tournament,” said Catlin. “We’ll be facing a [No. 12 seed] and I don’t want to be that team.”
That No. 12 seed is Brookfield (14-6), a pretty strong team from the Fairfield area of the state.
But the program last won a game back on May 16 which was their final contest of the year and the Bobcats have dropped two of their final three games.
Will Brookfield show a little rust from being off for so long?
This is a game for the taking if Eastern brings its ‘A’ game.
“I don’t want to be that team who faces us,” said Catlin. “Tellier could be lights out any day and we’ve got a strong line-up. If they can make some contact, they can drive [the ball] a long way.”
Here’s the entire bracket and all the critical dates in the Class L field:
CLASS L SOFTBALL – FIRST ROUND
No. 1 Masuk – Bye; No. 17 North Haven (11-9) at No. 16 Rockville (12-8), 5/31, 4:00; No. 25 E.O. Smith (9-11) at No. 8 RHAM (15-5), 5/31, 4:00; No. 24 Pomperaug (9-11) at No. 9 St. Joseph (15-5), 5/31, 4:00; No. 29 Bethel (8-12) at No. 4 East Haven (18-2), 5/31, 4:00; No. 20 Torrington (11-9) at No. 13 Wethersfield (13-7), 5/31, 4:00; No. 28 Killingly (8-12) at No. 5 Jonathan Law (18-2), 5/31, 4:00; No. 21 Bristol Eastern (10-10) at No. 12 Brookfield (14-6), 5/31, 4:00
No. 2 Ellington – Bye; No. 18 Woodstock Academy (11-9) at No. 15 Foran (12-8), 5/31, 4:00; No. 26 Bullard Havens Tech (9-11) at No. 7 Waterford (16-4), 5/31, 4:00; No. 23 East Lyme (10-10) at No. 10 Ledyard (15-5), 5/31, 4:00; No. 3 Guilford – Bye; No. 19 Daniel Hand (11-9) at No. 14 Fitch (12-8), 5/31, 4:00; No. 27 Windsor (9-11) at No. 6 Avon (16-4), 5/31, 4:00; No. 22 Bunnell (10-10) at No. 11 Berlin (14-6), 5/31, 4:00
SECOND ROUND
North Haven/Rockville winner at No. 1 Masuk (19-1), 6/1, 4:00; E.O. Smith/RHAM winner vs. Pomperaug/St. Joseph winner, 6/1, 4:00; Bethel/East Haven winner vs. Torrington/Wethersfield winner, 6/1, 4:00; Killingly/Jonathan Law winner vs. Bristol Eastern/Brookfield winner, 6/1, 4:00
Woodstock Academy/Foran winner at No. 2 Ellington (18-2), 6/1, 4:00; Bullard Havens Tech/Waterford winner vs. East Lyme/Ledyard winner, 6/1, 4:00; Daniel Hand/Fitch winner at No. 3 Guilford (18-2), 6/1, 4:00; Windsor/Avon winner vs. Bunnell/Berlin winner, 6/1, 4:00
QUARTERFINALS: June 3
SEMIFINALS: June 6-7
FINALS: at Site TBA, June 10-11
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