By Michael Letendre

STRATFORD – The Bristol Central softball program took on a buzz saw in the form of Southington in the Class LL championship finals from Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field in Stratford on Friday night.

The Rams, a worthy challenger in the title tilt, nabbed a quick 1-0 edge before Southington notched 13 straight runs – ending the contest in the sixth inning via the mercy rule – in claiming its 20th state title with its 13-1 victory over Central.

Southington finished 27-1 overall while Central, putting together a tremendous campaign, ended the season at a stellar 22-5 as the Class LL runner-up.

Central’s Sophia Torreso battled in the circle but her strike zone and the umpires didn’t seemingly align from the third inning on.

But the junior never quit.

She tallied eight strikeouts, gave up nine walks and just three hits over 3.2 innings of work while Alex Sciarretto mopped up for the Rams in the circle but the Blue Knights were simply not going to be denied that evening.

Winning pitcher Sam Sullivan threw four innings of one run, two hit, five K ball to earn the victory and the MVP award.

However, the Rams were pesky to start – scooping up the first run of the game and took that edge into the third before things went off the rails.

“We got the start we wanted which is exactly what we’ve been doing the past couple of weeks in the tournament,” said Central coach Monica Hayes. “I think the whole time we knew that one run wasn’t going to be enough to beat a team like Southington and they proved and showed why they were the best team in the state.”

Central’s Kaley Laird started the game off with a walk and Central attempted a little small ball.

Sam Sklenka couldn’t get a bunt down and ended up striking out, Lorelei Stancavage popped out to Sullivan on the mound while Leah Sklenka grounded out to first as the Blue Knights got out of the inning.

In the bottom of the first with two outs, Sam Sullivan earned a four-ball walk and then pinch-runner Kaykeigh O’Connor advanced to second via a wild pitch.

But Torreso fanned Sam Rogers to end the inning as the game remained scoreless through one.

In the second, Central had runners on first and second as Mya Porrini reached on a fielder’s choice and Sciarretto walked to put two on.

Romano then slipped a grounder past the first baseman as Sciarretto was hit in the foot by the ball – watching it bounce towards the first base line and into no-man’s land.

Porrini scored on the play as the RBI tally made it 1-0 in Central’s favor.

From there, Adrianna Lubrico laid down a perfect bunt and it appeared that all three runners were going to be safe.

But Sciarretto was just a bit too far away from third as she tried to sprint back to the bag.

She was tagged out and when Laird grounded out to the Southington pitcher, Central led 1-0 through a frame-and-a-half.

In the bottom of the second, it was a tremendous stanza by the Rams.

Torreso fanned Dominique Gaudio, Nicole Szuba walked, and Madison Furniss drew three strikes for the second out.

And to end the frame, Stancavage – making a spectacular throw from her catching position – threw out Szuba trying to steal second as Central entered the third inning ahead on the scoreboard, 1-0.

Central was retired in order in the third while in the bottom of the tilt, the Blue Knights seized the lead.

Southington loaded the bases and Elyse Picard earned a base-on-balls, plating courtesy runner Madelyn Napierski, as the contest was all tied up at 1-1 with no outs.

Sam Sullivan and Sam Rogers followed suit with back-to-back RBI walks and Gaudio hit a grounder to Laird at shortstop.

Laird threw the ball home, attempting to get the force, but Stancavage did not tag the plate in time as it was a 4-1 game in the Blue Knights’ favor.

And Furniss cleared the bases from there with a blazing triple to right as Southington’s edge reached 7-1 with one away.

“They got one back-breaking line drive that obviously opened the game up,” said Hayes of the Furniss three-base hit. “That’s why they’re the number one team.”

Batting around, Furniss scored on a wild pitch and an error by Laird allowed another run to score as the Blue Knights put a nine-spot on the board – leading 9-1 through three.

“Sometimes, you’re just in awe of the things that they can do,” said Hayes of Southington. “They took it to us. They’re very disciplined at the plate. They made us work for every pitch, every out.”

Torreso started the fourth with a smacker up the middle but Sam Sullivan eventually fanned the side as Central still trailed by eight.

In the bottom of fourth, two walks and a hit from Gaudio loaded things up for Southington as Sciarretto came into throw for Central with two outs.

Sciarretto held the fort, the Rams went down in order in the top the fifth, as the Blue Knights got back to the dish ahead by eight.

And with one away in the bottom of the fifth, Ashley Desaulniers dropped a home run to left and Rogers followed with a two-run shot to right as Southington grabbed a 12-1 lead through five.

Southington’s Stella Blanchard threw the final two innings, scooping up five Ks, and the game was eventually called in the bottom of the sixth.

With two runners in scoring position, Desaulniers flew out to right, Furniss scored the final run of the game on the sacrifice fly as Southington won the game 13-1 to end the season as state champs.

Central battled to the end in 2022, putting together a remarkable campaign despite the ending in Stratford.

“I’m super proud of the effort and the exceeding of expectations of this year,” said Hayes. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of here.”

The contest was the final scholastic game for Bristol Central seniors Gabby Buonafede, Morgyn Perkins, Sarah Romano, and Ryleigh Hall.

CIAC Softball, Class LL Championship Game – June 10, 2022

No. 2 SOUTHINGTON 13, No. 5 BRISTOL CENTRAL 1 (6)

from Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field, Stratford

Bristol Central 010 000 – 1 2 4

Southington 009 031 – 13 6 2

Battery – Bristol Central: Pia Torreso, Alex Sciarretto (4) & Lorelei Stancavage; Southington: Sam Sullivan, Stella Blanchard (5) & Kate Griffin

WP – Sam Sullivan (Southington); LP – Sophia Torreso (Bristol Central)

Bristol Central Batting 

2B – None

3B – None 

HR – None

Southington Batting 

2B – None

3B – Madison Furniss

HR – Ashlyn Desaulniers, Sam Rogers

Records: Southington 27-1 overall; Bristol Central 22-5

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