No. 1 Southington, No. 2 Ludlowe will face off for title

Newtown, Ridgefield wrap up memorable seasons

WEST HAVEN — Southington will return to the Class LL state championship game with eyes on a fifth-straight title and national-best 21st in its history.

Southington defeated Ridgefield 3-0 in the semifinals at Biondi Field on Tuesday night, its third win against an FCIAC team in the tournament.

“I am just really excited for the girls, they have worked so hard,” Southington coach Davina Hernandez

said. “We have truly gotten better ervery week, and that has been our goal. I am happy to see them keep rising every week and challenging each other every week.”

Now, the Blue Knights, who have been ranked No. 1 in the GameTimeCT Top 10 poll all season, will face another FCIAC team in No. 2-ranked Fairfield Ludlowe for the Class LL championship Saturday at UConn’s Burrill Family Field.

This will be the thirdconsecutive meeting between Southington and Ludlowe in the Class LL playoffs. The Blue Knights beat the Falcons in walkoff fashion to win 2021 Class LL title and then 7-3 in last year’s semifinals. While Southington is looking to add another trophy to its already stuffed case, Ludlowe is looking to win its first state title.

“They are coming for us, I know that,” Hernandez

said of Ludlowe. “They are an excellent team, so we are really going to have to play our best game. This is what you want, No. 1 and No. 2.”

Stella Blanchard threw a complete game shutout for Southington, allowing five hits (all singles) with no walks and nine strikeouts.

Elyse Picard, Blanchard’s battery mate, jump started the offense with a leadoff triple in the bottom of the first inning, scoring on a throwing error on the play.

Ludlowe outlasts Newtown

In the first semifinal, Ludlowe defeated Newtown, 6-4, thanks to the offensive production of third baseman Katie Tournas, left fielder Rosanna Merturi, and shortstop Elena Ohe. Tournas went 3-for-3 with three doubles, an RBI and a run scored. Merturi went 2for-2 with two RBIs.

“Our bats came out, we hit the ball and hit a really good pitcher,” Ludlowe coach Lou Bunosso said. “Katie Tournas was on fire today with three doubles, Rosanna Merturi with a couple big hits and RBIs. Della Jackson had a couple big hits and made some things happen today. I feel like we are playing really well right now.”

Ohe, a Yale commit, started the scoring for Ludlowe, erasing a tworun deficit in the third inning with a two-run home run to spark a four-run in

ning. Ludlowe added two more on Tournas’ second double. She was then driven in by Merturi.

“Pitching has been our key, but today we had to hit,” Bunosso said. “You have to win different ways, and it is taking us to UConn.”

Ludlowe struck again in the sixth as Tournas kicked off the rally with her third double, and was again driven in by Merturi.

“I really tried to make sure to look for the ball at her hip,” Tournas said. “(Newtown pitcher Sydney Adolfson) is a really good pitcher and there was a lot of spin. She really did have a good day, I just came out on the better side of it.”

A batter later, pinch runner Izzy Mulhall scored on a Newtown error for a 6-2 lead.

Alex Lewey earned the win for Ludlowe, pitching 4.1 innings and allowing three earned runs (four total) on five hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts. Merrimack commit Anna Gedacht, who earned the

save, relieved Lewey in the fifth inning with one out and the bases loaded before recording a strikeout and a ground out to evade damage.

“Bases loaded, one out, (Gedacht) is phenomenal,” Bunosso said. “She is not going DI by mistake. She is a legit pitcher, her ball moves and she has a lot of different pitches. Her control is pretty good, even in the rain. She did a great job bearing down and going after the batters.”

Ludlowe, loaded with seniors, has been on the precipice of winning its first state title for three years. It began with a walk-off loss against Southington two years ago, followed by a semifinal loss to Southington last season.

For Newtown, a memorable season comes to an end. A season in which the Nighthawks became the first team not named Masuk to win a SWC title in six seasons.

Newtown ace Sydney Adolfson pitched the complete game, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Addison Cordova led the team with two hits.

Newtown staged a comeback attempt in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs on a groundout by Bri Pellicone and a double by Maddy Thoesen, but ultimately came up short.

“I said that a dream season for me would be to get to at least the semis, so I told all the kids to be proud,” Newtown coach Joanna Closs said. “We were kind of under the radar in the beginning of the year and then we were in the top five for most of it. That is a heck of an achievement. We took down our nemesis twice in Masuk, which was awesome. All runs come to an end I guess. That was a good team, but I am very proud of these kids.”