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Canton can’t stop Bombers run to first CWSL championship

The Connecticut Bombers out of Mansfield won the CWSL Tournament and the league title Sunday in Vernon. (Photo courtesy CT Women's Softball League)

The Connecticut Bombers out of Mansfield won their first CWSL Tournament and the league championship Sunday in Vernon. (Photo courtesy CT Women’s Softball League)

VERNON, July 31 – It wasn’t the strongest start to the season for the Connecticut Bombers in the Connecticut Women’s Softball League. The Bombers dropped their first four games and five of the first six contests of the season. The first victory was a nine-run win over Canton in late June.

Since then, the Bombers have been unbeatable. The Bombers, who play out of Mansfield, won eight straight to close out the season and added another three victories Sunday to capture the 2016 Connecticut Women’s Softball League championship with a victory over the previously undefeated Connecticut Mirage out of Suffield.

Part of the Bombers three-game run to the championship was a 3-1 decision over Canton in the tournament semifinals. Canton went 1-1 in the tournament with a 9-1 rout over Windsor in the first round of the tournament.

Canton (10-4) had little trouble with Windsor in their first game of the tournament with six runs in the first two innings. Amanda Massad and Anne Pitkin had RBI singles in the first inning while Amy Mantha had a RBI double for Canton. Massad also scored by stealing home.

In the second inning, Canton’s Christina Cardwell scored on an error and Nicole Batan scored on a steal of home for a 6-0 lead. Pitkin had another RBI in the fifth inning.

Massad finished with two hits and one RBI while Pitkin had a single and two RBI.

On the mound, Pitkin and Danielle Leone combined to strike out nine and allow just three Windsor hits.

In the tournament semifinals, the Bombers (12-5) scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead for good on a two-run single from M. Welch.

Trailing by a run, Canton tied the game in the top of the fourth inning. Bella Colletti had a one-out single over the shortstop’s head and moved to second on an infield ground ball by Savannah Thibault. Colletti stole third base and scored on Amanda Massad’s single to center field.

Pitkin gave up eight hits and struck out four in six innings work. Canton did throw out a runner at home in the sixth inning to keep the deficit to just two runs.

The defending tournament champion was the CT Tides. Canton won four straight CWSL championships from 2010-13.

Canton 9, Windsor 1
At Vernon
Windsor (4-11)                        000  010  — 1-3-3
Canton (10-3)                         420  021  — 9-6-0
Pitching line unavailable; Anne Pitkin, Danielle Leone (2) and Amy Mantha; WP: Pitkin (4-1); LP: unknown; 2B: Mantha (C)

CT Bombers 3, Canton 1
At Vernon
Canton (10-4)                          000  100  0  — 1-3-3
CT Bombers (11-5)                 010  200  x  – 3-8-0
Anne Pitkin and Amy Mantha; M. Welch and unknown; WP: Welch; LP: Pitkin (4-2); 3B: Pitkin (C)

CTSWSL Tournament
At Vernon
Game 1: (4) CT Tides def. (5) West Hartford
Game 2: (2) CT Bombers def. (7) Thomaston
Game 3: (3) Canton 9, (6) Windsor 1

Game 4: (1) CT Mirage 2, CT Tides 1 (Gold bracket semifinal)
Game 5: Thomaston def. West Hartford (Silver bracket semifinal)
Game 6: CT Bombers 3, Canton 1 (Gold bracket semifinal)
Game 7: CT Tides def. Windsor (Silver bracket semifinal)

Game 8: CT Bombers def. CT Mirage (Gold bracket final)
Game 9: CT Tides def. Thomaston (Silver bracket final)

Final regular season league standings 2016
CT Mirage (Suffield)                     13-0
CT Bombers (Mansfield)                9-5
Canton                                           9-3
CT Tides (Durham)                        8-4
West Hartford                                 5-8
Windsor                                        4-10
Thomaston                                     3-9
Rocky Hill                                      0-12

Since 2009, the Collinsville Press has been providing award-winning coverage of sports and news in the Farmington Valley and across Connecticut.

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