Avon sophomore pitcher Lauren Sitaro.
It’s been a while since the Avon High girls softball team played in a CIAC tournament game.
Coach John Snyder is hoping the Falcons can earn seven wins this year to earn its first invitation since 2001. Canton, meanwhile, is hoping to build on its Class S quarterfinal appearance of a year ago.
Avon has a core of players with experience returning this spring led by senior shortstop Rachael Asnes, senior catcher Carolyn DeTora and sophomore pitcher Lindsey Sitaro. Senior First baseman Amanda Gerosa, senior second baseman Kiera Jury and junior third baseman Kendra Love return along with outfielders Lauren Sitaro, Hannah Lindley and Laura Grosso.
“We would love to get to seven wins and get into the tournament,” Snyder said. “We do have a tendency to make games close.” The Falcons were outscored by Farmington, 12-10 earlier this month and dropped a one-run decision to Somers, 8-7 last week.
Avon (0-5, 0-4 NCCC) wasn’t too close in their other three games. They had just two hits in a 10-1 loss to Granby on opening day, struck out 16 times in an 8-0 loss to Suffield and fanned 10 times in a 17-2 loss in six innings to Stafford on Tuesday.
Avon scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning against Somers but Kathryn LaValle’s RBI single with one out gave Somers the victory. Two passed balls in the seventh didn’t help. Leadoff runner Hailee Stetson singled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. She scored on a passed ball to tie the game.
Against Farmington, Avon had nine hits including a pair of singles by Lindley. The Indians committed seven errors but the Falcons couldn’t hold off Farmington, which six runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take command of the contest. Farmington pitcher Kara Gardner, who gave up 15 hits, gave up just a single to Jury in the final two innings to secure the win.
Canton (16-5, 12-4 NCCC) is looking to build upon a campaign that saw the Warriors finish fourth in the NCCC and advance to the Class S quarterfinals.
The Warriors have two senior starters returning led by starting pitcher Morgan Scauri and shortstop Kylie Delos. Junior catcher Katie Hill and centerfielder Jill Petraitis are also back in the starting lineup. Canton lost four starters including shortstop Kat Winsor and first baseman Brittany King but third-year coach Charley Batan is confident that the Warriors have the skills to move forward.
Canton has captured three of their first four games. Scafuri struck out 11 in an 21-5 victory over Sport Medical Science Academy (SMSA) while going three-for-five with a single, double and triple.
Scafuri had 14 strikeouts and scattered four hits in a 6-0 win over Somers. Petraitis got some action on the mound against Windsor Locks and struck out 16 in a 10-7 victory.
Canton (3-1, 3-1 NCCC) dropped its first game of the season on Monday in a 1-0 loss to East Windsor as Panther pitcher Danielle Sassi scattered six hits and struck out five to earn the victory. Scafuri allowed just two hits but it was enough as Megan Murray’s ground ball out in the fifth inning scored the game’s only run.
It was East Windsor’s first win over Canton since 2005, snapping a 13-game losing streak against the Warriors.
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