May 15, 2008
Softball: Fricke, Poulos power 1-0 win over Westhill
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Five times this season, the Wilton High softball team had lost one-run games.
On Tuesday night, the Warriors were more than happy to reverse roles.
No-hit through six innings, Wilton scored the game’s only run on Stephanie Fricke’s RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to defeat visiting Westhill, 1-0. It was just the fifth loss of the season for the Vikings (13-5), who are now tied for second place in the overall conference standings.
“For all the heartache we’ve had, this was a big win,” said Wilton head coach Bruce Cunningham, whose team recently lost three 2-1 games in three consecutive days.
The Warriors improved to 10-8 overall and 8-8 in the FCIAC. Wilton ends the regular season with a game against Bassick on Friday.
Wilton has clinched a spot in the state tournament, but was bounced from FCIAC playoff contention with a 7-2 loss to Fairfield Warde last week.
Kat Poulos pitched a masterful two-hitter against Westhill, striking out 13 and walking one.
“Kat was really on tonight,” said Cunningham. “She pitched a great, great game.”
So did Westhill’s Jen Joseph, who held Wilton hitless through the first six innings. Joseph finished with a two-hitter, striking out nine.
“This was a classic pitchers’ duel,” said Cunningham. “When the game went into the seventh tied at 0-0, I was thinking we could be here for a while.”
But Poulos struck out Westhill’s three, four and five hitters in the top of the seventh, and the Warriors broke through in the bottom of the inning to end the game and avoid extra innings.
After Heather Sabino lined out, Poulos tripled to the gap in right center. Fricke then followed with a shot over the Westhill rightfielder’s head for the game-winning hit on a 3-2 pitch.
Wilton had just two baserunners in the first six innings. Stacy Pokora reached on an error in the fourth, and Megan Colvin was hit by a pitch in the sixth.
Last Friday, the Warriors squandered a 2-0 lead in a 7-2 loss to Fairfield Warde. Warde scored two runs in the fourth, four in the fifth and one in the sixth.
Wilton got both its runs in the third. Stephanie Boyles singled, and Katie Wingertzhan reached on an error, with Boyles going to third. Pokora then scored one run with an RBI double, and Poulos got the second run home when she reached on an error.
Pokora went 3-for-4 with a triple, double and single.
Notes: The Warriors routed McMahon, 10-1, last Wednesday. Christy Ketley had three hits, including a triple, and drove in three runs, and Wingertzhan also knocked in three runs with a bases-clearing double.
Poulos pitched a one-hitter, walking two and striking out 15. McMahon’s only hit was an infield single, and its only run was unearned.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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