Sports

CITIZENS NEWS
Friday, May 21, 2010
10
GREYHOUNDS GAMES
May 24 3:30 p.m. B Tennis vs. Holy Cross
Visit www.mycitizensnews.com for NVL
tournament schedules
HAWKS HIGHLIGHTS
May 24 2:30 p.m. Golf vs. St. Paul
Visit www.mycitizensnews.com for NVL
tournament schedules
SEYMOUR
Last Thursdays
Naugatuck-Seymour
softball game turned
out to be just the latest classic in a long line
of seat-grabbers. The Wildcats have
enjoyed their share of one-run victories
over the Greyhounds, winning seven
straight regular-season games over the past
four years, including three 1-0 nail-biters,
highlighted by last seasons 16-inning
marathon victory.
Naugatuck, meanwhile, beat Seymour
to win the 2008 Naugatuck Valley League
tournament title.
The intense rivalry continued last week
in Seymour, as the Wildcats celebrated sen-
ior night with a 4-3 victory in nine innings.
The Greyhounds ended the week with
a tough, 3-1 loss to Ansonia Saturday, the
first back-to-back losses by Naugatuck (13-
5) all season. Alexa Marucci tossed a five-
hitter at Ansonia, but the Chargers exploit-
ed two Naugatuck errors by plating three
runs in the second inning.
Marucci drove in Alexis Granahan with
the Greyhounds only run in the fifth, and
Julia Longo had a double and a single at the
plate for the Hounds.
Naugatuck and Seymour both staged
first-inning threats on Thursday, but the
game remained scoreless entering the sec-
ond inning. Stephanie Burt scattered five
hits for the Wildcats and struck out 13 bat-
ters to earn the complete-game victory.
We had our chances, but we just
couldnt get the bunt down when we had
to, Naugatuck head coach Kevin Wesche
said. Alexa did a great job for us, and we
played well defensively, but we couldnt
capitalize on the offensive opportunities
that we had.
Hats off to Seymour; they executed
the bunt and moved the runners into scor-
ing position in the ninth. That was the key
to the game.
Burt struck out the side in the
Naugatuck second but not before Lianne
Wallace sent a drive over the fence in right
for a home run that put the Greyhounds on
top, 1-0.
Seymour wasted no time getting it
back, as Emily Coyne drew a leadoff walk in
the bottom of the frame. Brianna
Donnarummo sliced a run-scoring single
down the line in right, with two outs, tying
the game at 1-1.
The Wildcats plated two more in the
third, and that appeared to be enough,
based on the rivalrys recent history.
Amanda Willette reached on an infield sin-
gle, and Kim Ferris added a bunt single to
put the Cats in business.
A sacrifice fly from Carissa Wasikowski
and an RBI single by Kelly Mitchell staked
Seymour to a 3-1 advantage. Marucci got
out of a bases-loaded jam by inducing a
groundout to Andrea Granahan at third,
and the throw to Skye Stella cut off another
run at the plate.
Naugatuck had an opportunity to get
back in the game, with runners at second
and third and two outs in the fourth.
Melissa Kirschbaum unloaded blast up the
middle that Burt was able to reach down
and snare to thwart the threat.
The Greyhounds finally put it together
in the fifth. Marucci drew a walk, and
Stephanie Chandler laid down a perfect
sacrifice bunt to move the runner into scor-
ing position. Melissa Labonte reached on a
bunt single before Longo unleashed a two-
run double to the fence in center that tied
the game at 3-3.
Seymour was looking to close it out in
the sixth but couldnt get anything going, as
Daniella Stoehrer crashed into the fence to
haul in a foul pop, one of the dozen sensa-
tional plays she made covering first base.
The game went into extra innings, and
the Wildcats finally got the break they need-
ed when Willette reached on a bunt single to
lead off the ninth. A passed ball sent her to
second, and Kim Ferris put down a bunt to
send the go-ahead run to third.
Wasikowski drilled a hit over the sec-
ond-base bag to give Seymour the 4-3,
walk-off win over Naugatuck.
KEN MORSE
Naugys Julia Longo rounds first and
heads for second, as her fifth-inning
blast plates two runs to tie Seymour, 3-
3. The Wildcats won, 4-3, in extras.
By Ken Morse
Citizens News
Seymour 4
Naugatuck 3
Another 1-run loss to Seymour the first of back-to-back NHS defeats
DISARMED
Woodlands Katie Alfiere, an
almost unhittable force in
the pitchers circle
(left), may have to
watch the rest of
the season
from the
dugout
(inset).
Alfieres, Hawks
seasons in doubt
after appendectomy
BEACON FALLS Its essentially useless, but it
probably just cost Katie Alfiere and the Woodland soft-
ball team a heck of a lot.
In just a few fell swoops of the surgeons knife to
remove Alfieres infected appendix last Wednesday
morning, much more was taken away from both the
star senior and the Hawksthe undefeated season
they were working on went by the wayside last
week with an 8-2 loss at Wolcott in Alfieres
first game out, and now the Naugatuck
Valley League and Class M champio-
nships are highly in doubt.
Two weeks ago, Alfiere exp-
By Kyle Brennan
Citizens News
See ALFIERE, page 17
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CITIZENS NEWS
Sports
Friday, May 21, 2010 17
erienced the first pains in her stomach but
simply ignored it and proceeded to throw
a 4-0 shutout against St. Paul for
Woodlands 14th win of the season. Her
condition worsened throughout the week-
was only the flu and continued to ignore
the stomach pain.
I went to school [Monday] because
we had a game against Watertown, and I
pitched, Alfiere says. I was in extreme
pain, but I pitched because I had to pitch.
And pitch she did, leading the Hawks
to a 10-4 comeback victory on what we at
Citizens News called an off day. Little did
we know she pitched the game with an
infected, leaking appendix.
Alfiere, always known as a tough com-
petitor, went to school again Tuesday as
the pain worsened.
my stomach was swelled up but I ignored
it, Alfiere says. I watched practice and
went home and ate a bowl of chicken noo-
dle soup because I couldnt eat anything
else.
That was the last meal Alfiere would
ingest for four days; she went to the emer-
gency room Tuesday evening, and after a
late-night CAT scan, Alfiere received the
diagnosisappendicitis.
Alfiere had surgery to remove the
appendixwhich luckily had not burst
after at least four days of swelling
Wednesday morning and left the hospital
Thursday afternoon. Before she left, doc-
tors told her the news she dreaded: She
couldnt play softball for three to four
weeks, until after the end of the state tour-
nament.
I was upset, but its not like there was
really anything I could do about it, Alfiere
says. The surgery had to happen.
Obviously, I was upset, but I couldnt really
do anything.
Not even five hours after leaving the
hospital, Alfiere made with her parents the
trip to Wolcott to watch her undefeated
Hawks play their first game without her.
At first I was OK with it, Alfiere says
of watching from the dugout. I couldnt
really wait to go and watch because I had-
nt been at a softball field in four days. It
didnt really sink in [that I was out] until
Wolcott gave me a card after the game
because it showed they cared.
It was an 8-2 loss for the Hawks,
When we lost, it made me realize
more that I was out, Alfiere says. I could-
nt fix it, I couldnt do anything about it.
The season meant a lot. I wanted to do
because I think as a team we all deserved
it, but I guess it didnt really work out that
way.
Coaches from throughout the NVL and
the state have sent cards and e-mails relay-
ing well wishes to Alfiere for a speedy
recovery. The future Quinnipiac Bobcat
hopes to not only be ready for summer
softball with her Xtreme Chaos club but
also to return for the state tournament,
I want to be back for states, Alfiere
says. I really do. I have my doctors
appointment Thursday. Im going to try.
But it looks like Im going to be watching
the rest of the season, unfortunately.
As she watches, she continues to fulfill
admirably her role as captain, attending
every game and practice and cheering on
her teammates. Theyll be the ones to
determine the fate of this season for
Woodland.
I dont think the team needs to really
change, Alfiere said. Obviously, me not
being there is a huge impact. But theyre
very good defensively, so it shouldnt be a
problem there, but mentally it hurts. I just
told them to play their game.
Luckily, Alfiere can live without her
appendix. Well find out whether the Hawks
can live without her.
Woodland drops 2 of 3 games
ALFIERE
From page 10
SPECIAL TO CITIZENS NEWS
Greyhounds cruise on senior day
games. Toth beat Emily Sanchez, 8-0, and
Yacavone defeated Anays Cruz, by the same
score. Jang topped Candice Henry, 8-1, and
Kaitlyn Carter took Briana Nyari, at love.
Young and Bottinick bested Stephanie
Lumbra and Jessie Collado, 8-2, Charette
and Mitchell beat Sherry Husaine and
Raven Archer, 8-0, and Kaitlyn Dana and
Jess Buckley won against Temina Kusi and
Shareza Jalaludin, 8-2.
Naugatuck was scheduled to visit Holy
Cross Tuesday, but the contest was post-
poned to Thursday because of rain. Naugy
was also slated to take on the Chargers in
Ansonia Wednesday.
The first round of the inaugural
Naugatuck Valley League team tournament
will be either Friday or Saturday, depending
on the weather, and the semifinals and
finals will be Monday. Woodland will host all
tournament matches.
The Hawks were to entertain Seymour
Wednesday. If both local squads won out,
Woodland would be the No. 1 seed, and
Naugatuck would be No. 2.
We are enjoying [the season], Ruccio
said. Its a really nice group of girls. And the
parentsweve been pretty much having
the whole entire area [around the home
courts] filled with parents, which has been
really nice. You dont see that. We came to
some other matches in some other places,
and theres nobody.
NAUGY TENNIS
From page 11
Diurno: Hawks the team to beat
But the jubilation was short-lived, as the
Hawks suffered a 5-1 loss to Crosby Saturday
morningconveniently the morning after
Woodlands senior prom. Crosby ace Kody
Kerski shut down the Hawks, allowing one
run on seven hits while striking out eight.
Tom Arsenault threw well for Woodland,
allowing two earned runs in five innings of
work. But it was the Hawks seemingly lethar-
gic offense and sleepy defense that cost
Woodland a run at a top seed in the NVL tour-
ney.
We were unfocused, Diurno said. We
had our minds on other things.
That focus didnt return for Mondays
divisional game at Derby, where Woodland
squandered a 5-1 lead in the fifth and suffered
an 8-5 loss.
With the score tied at one in the third, the
Hawks exploded for four runs, highlighted by
Hardys two-run homer to left-center field.
Derby waited until the fifth and sixth
innings to do its damage, taking the lead in
the fifth on a grand slam by Ryan Skelly and
adding a pair of unearned insurance runs in
the sixth.
Georgia was scheduled to start, but arm
soreness in his pregame bullpen session
forced him off the mound. Mike Masulli hit
the hill for just the second time this season
and pitched very well on short notice, going 4
1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs and
two hits.
Still, the Hawks are confident the two-
game skid is just a bump in the road.
Teams have just been making plays,
Diurno said. Everyones making contact, and
we just need to jump on teams. Thats when
were at our best. ... Weve got our mindsets
right now, and this is the team to beat when
everythings working well.
WOODLAND BASEBALL
From page 12
end but even then she says she thought it
I couldnt really stand up straight and
who were unable to shut down Wolcotts
offense and incapable of producing much
themselves. With that, the undefeated
season Alfiere dreamed of was lost.
well. I wanted to be the undefeated team
despite doctors prognoses.
Senior Amanda Gomez has stepped in for Alfiere and is 1-2 in three starts.