By Michael Letendre 

BRISTOL – The Southington softball team was sternly tested by the program from Bristol Central when the two heavyweights took the field in a huge CCC interdivisional clash on Monday afternoon. 

And the top-rated Knights, who scooped up a 3-0 triumph from the softball field at Bristol Central, needed a little luck to cash in on those runs because the Rams’ excellent pitching duo of Alex Sciarretto (three strikeouts, three hits) and Sophia Torreso (two hits, no runs, 6 Ks, zero walks) limited Southington to its lowest offensive production of the campaign. 

Southington moved to 12-0 off the winning effort while Bristol Central (11-1) lost for the first time this season.

Generating just five hits, the Knights scored two runs in the first inning when a ball hit to the outfield was lost in the sun and a passed ball in the third led to the other tally. 

Outside of big doubles from Emily Moskal, Mallory Rohon, and Sam Rogers, there wasn’t much offense to speak of as the No. 1 ranked program in Connecticut saw its production at the dish stuffed up a bit by No. 5 Central. 

“I’m pleased with our pitching effort,” said Central coach Monica Hayes. “A sun ball at Bristol Central, there’s one of those every two games. I’m not surprised by that and it’s something we learned to deal with. It’s just a game of inches. It’s a learning experience.” Southington struck for two runs in the top of the first as Elyse Picard walked while Sam Rogers was intentionally walked to put two on. 

And with two outs, Mallory Rohon drilled a shot to left field that Dez Nickerson seemed to lose in the sun, falling in cleanly. 

The double led to two runs as the Knights roped up a 2-0 push through half an inning of play. 

Sciarretto then retired four straight to keep it a two-run affair going into the third frame. 

Southington pitcher Stella Blanchard (6 IP, two hits, 13 Ks) was sharp from the start, generating five Ks over the first two frames to keep the home squad at bay. 

In the third tilt, the Knights were at it again but were limited to just one run. 

Elyse Picard singled to center but when Emily Moskal drained a hit to left, Nickerson made the lead runner pay going to third. 

Nickerson stopped the ball, chucked it to third base and the tag by Mya Porrini got Picard for the first out. 

Rogers was walked intentionally for the second consecutive time and when Maddie Furniss also drew a base-on-balls, the bases were loaded. 

And off a passed ball, Moskal tagged the dish to make it a 3-0 game.  

But in the bottom of the third, Central finally got on track offensively via a two-out rally. 

After retiring the first eight batters she faced, Blanchard walked Porrini with two away while Kaley Laird sent a slow roller to short – with no chance of making a play – as Central had a couple runners on base. 

And when Sam Sklenka earned a walk, the bases were juiced with Leah Sklenka at the dish – representing the go-ahead run. 

But Leah Sklenka struck out swinging to end the third with Southington still ahead 3-0. 

“We had our best hitter up,” said Hayes of Leah Sklenka. “And that’s what you want. Execution, you really can’t control that to some degree and pitchers are going to win most of the time. I thought she battled. It was a good at-bat, but the pitcher just won. There’s nothing wrong with that. She took three swings with the bases loaded. I’m proud of her for getting her hacks in.” 

“We just didn’t get the result that we wanted. It was there…it was within reach.”  

Blanchard walked to open the fourth and Torreso took the circle in place of Sciarretto. 

Torreso went 1-2-3, including a strikeout on Picard, as the Knights went scoreless in the frame. 

“Our pitchers hit spots, executed and shut this team down to five hits,” said Hayes of her pitching duo. “We just had to score a run. That’s all. We’ll work on that.” 

Torreso and Sciarretto did their part for BC| Herve’ photos

The Rams just couldn’t get anything off Blanchard in the fourth as Central still trailed by three going into the fifth. 

Rodgers finally got a chance to hit in the fifth and slammed a shot to deep center, bouncing the ball off the fence, but Sam Sklenka immediately got it into second base to limit the damage. 

But two strikeouts and a fly-out later, Torreso was out of the jam and Central was back to the dish in the bottom of the fifth. 

Blanchard was on fire, eventually retiring seven in a row, the final two in the bottom of the fifth for strikeouts 10 and 11, as Southington was still cruising by three. 

Torreso – who fanned the side in top of the sixth – retired nine of the 10 batters she faced as the home team tried to jumpstart its offense with the top of the order due up. 

And Laird almost made that happen as she drilled a Blanchard offering, a ball that looked destined for left-center field, to open the bottom of the sixth. 

But Rodgers robbed Laird of a hit, getting her timing down perfectly, jumping and snaring the ball out of the air at shortstop, for the first out – a play that underscored Central’s frustration at the plate. 

“There’s a reason why she’s one of the best players in the state, one of the best players I’ve ever seen,” said Hayes of Rodgers. “I thought she did what she was supposed to do and made that play.” 

Sam Sklenka’s small ball tactics then paid off as she arrived safely at first base with her infield bunt, moving to second on a wild pitch but the Rams did not score. 

Maddie Furniss then came in to mop up for the visitors in the circle, going three up and three down for the save as the Knights squared up a huge 3-0 victory in Bristol though Central pushed Southington until the final pitch. 

“The outcome, a 3-0 loss, [came off of] a passed ball and a ball lost in the sun,” said Hayes. “I don’t think anyone whose played the sport is going to say, ‘wow, that’s a terrible game.’ I thought we played very well.”  

Bristol Central Softball – CCC Interdivisional Action 

SOUTHINGTON 3, BRISTOL CENTRAL 0 

from the softball field at BCHS 

Southington (12-0)                201 000 0 – 3 5 0 

Bristol Central (12-1)           000 000 0 – 0 2 0 

WP – Stella Blanchard (Southington); LP – Alex Sciarretto (Bristol Central); S – Maddie Furniss (Southington). 

Southington Batting 

2B – Emily Moskal, Mallory Rohon, Sam Rogers 

3B – None 

HR – None 

Bristol Central Batting 

2B – None 

3B – None 

HR – None 

Records: Southington 12-0 overall; Bristol Central 11-1.