May 1, 2008
Softball: Tigers top Stamford, Norwalk
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Steady rain earlier this week accomplished what the opposition has failed to in the past seven games.
Cool off the Ridgefield High softball team.
The Tigers extended their winning streak to seven with last Friday’s 6-4 win over Norwalk. That followed a 3-2 victory over Stamford two days earlier and pushed Ridgefield’s record to 8-3. The Tigers entered yesterday’s games with a two-game lead over Staples in the FCIAC Central Division.
“We’re getting good pitching, solid defense and timely hitting. And we’re doing all the little things right,” said Ridgefield head coach Angelo Formisano. “The girls are playing with a lot of confidence. They want to keep this streak going.”
On Friday against Norwalk, Ridgefield bolted to a 6-0 lead after two innings and then didn’t score again. The Bears got single runs in the third and fourth and two in the fifth to pull within 6-4, but Ridgefield pitcher Ashley Higgins shut the door from there, retiring six of the final seven batters.
Ridgefield scored four runs in the first inning, getting a sacrifice fly from Tara Formisano and three straight RBI singles from Maddie Sposito, Kim Amrod and Higgins.
Two more runs came in the second. Jill Richter walked and Mary Shaw singled, with both runners then scoring on Formisano’s booming triple for a 6-0 lead.
Higgins finished with a five-hitter for Ridgefield, walking none and striking out seven.
Wednesday’s win over Stamford was far more dramatic. Trailing 2-1, the Tigers scored once in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game and then added the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
“You could cut the tension with a knife that day,” said Angelo Formisano. “You could feel the energy in the air before the first pitch was thrown.”
It didn’t take long after the first pitch was thrown for Stamford to go ahead. Mia Savona, the Black Knights’ leadoff hitter, opened the game with a solo homer to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Ridgefield tied the game with two outs in the bottom of the third as Annie Wendel singled, stole second and scored on Shaw’s single up the middle.
Stamford went ahead 2-1 in the fourth on Savona’s RBI single, but the Tigers re-tied the game in the sixth, with Sposito, Ridgefield’s leadoff hitter in the inning, figuring prominently.
“Before Maddie stepped into the batter’s box, I told her we needed a double,” said Formisano. “She said you got it.’
Sure enough, Sposito doubled.
“I should have asked her for a home run,” said Formisano.
Kim Amrod followed with a sacrifice bunt, moving Sposito to third, and Higgins tied the game with an RBI groundout to the right side.
Ridgefield then scored the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Wendel singled, Melanie Andrea was walked intentionally and Tara Formisano got an infield single to load the bases. Ahead 3-1 in the count, Sposito then crushed a fastball over the centerfielder’s head for a long walk-off single.
“It should have been a grand slam,” said Angelo Formisano. “Instead, it goes down as a long single. But either way, we’ll take the win.”
Higgins got the victory, pitching a seven-hitter with three strikeouts and one walk.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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