The LAC Bobcats 18U girls fastpitch softball team won their third consecutive championship at the Nutmeg State Championship games in Danbury, CT – a PONY qualifier. The Bobcats, managed by Bobby Tedeschi, and coached by Angela DiTieri, Rich Pollina and Scott White, defeated the Silver Bullets Silver 18U, 3-0 in the finals. The Bobcats won four games in the tournament, losing one, to improve their 2009 record to 26-6-2, for over a .800 winning percentage.
The Bobcats opened the tournament on Saturday by defeating the Connecticut Pink Panthers, 5-4. Rightfielder Ashley Goldstein went 2 for 3, stole 2 bases, and scored 2 runs. Centerfielder Tara Lanigan had 2 hits, and drove in a run. Second baseman Kristen Torres had 2 hits, pitcher Christina Seppi struck out 4, scattered 5 hits, and also had 3 hits, and scored 2 runs. Catcher Lindsay Brown made a great diving catch of a foul pop up. Shortstop Diana Kontos drove in the winning run in the bottom of the last inning with a double.
The Bobcats then beat the Connecticut Mirage, 7-2 in their second game. Pitcher Nicole Mulvihill struck out 5, and didn’t allow a hit until the 4th inning, getting the win. Goldstein had 3 hits, scored 2 runs, third baseman Nicki Petrucci also had 3 hits, an RBI, and made several amazing plays on very hard hit balls throughout the tournament. Leftfielder Shannon Angehr doubled in a run in the first inning, and Lanigan had 2 hits and an RBI.
That win set up the Bobcats into a must win game on Sunday morning against the Silver Bullets Blue 18U. The winner would automatically be in the finals. Bobcat’s pitcher Deana Tortorici was sent to the mound to try and shut down a very good team. Tortorici pitched a masterful one hitter, striking out four, and getting the Bullets down in order four times out of seven innings. Tortorici and catcher Rachel Barry did a great job of calling the game. The game was scoreless until the 6th inning when Kontos led off with a single and was doubled home by first baseman Renee Greenspan. Goldstein then doubled home Greenspan, and later scored on an error. The Bobcats added a fourth run in the seventh, and won 4-0.
Later that day, the Bobcats sent pitcher Tara Lanigan to the mound in the championship game against the Silver Bullets 18U Silver. The Bobcats finally broke the tie when Goldstein singled, stole second and scored on Petrucci’s single. In the fifth inning, second baseman Torres saved the day by making a back- handed catch of a line drive and doubling off a Bullet player at second base to end a big threat. The Bobcats made it 3-0 in the seventh when Torres and Barry singled home runs. Lanigan pitched a great game, striking out three, and scattering five hits. Catcher Barry capped off the win by making a spectacular bare handed catch of a foul pop up.
The Bobcats will travel to York, PA to play in the ASA Eastern Nationals July 30-Aug. 2, before closing out their tremendous season with the LAC Island Splash, at Azalea Park, in Levittown, Aug.7-9.
