Members of the 16U Valley Fusion team front row, from left, Angie Wirsing, Emily Wirsing, Brooke Leshin, and Kelly Sherman. Back row, from left, Sam Meeker, Iliana Rivera, Alyssa Mirmina, Kristen Dempsey, Morgan Poeta, Nicole Fowler, and Alexa Marucci. CONTRIBUTED

The team also placed second in the Warwick, R.I. “Summer Slam” tournament in June, third in Wallingford’s “State of Shock” in June; second in New Milford’s “2nd Annual Jade’s Jamboree” in July, and third in New Haven’s “Summer Ruckus” held in Meriden in July. The 16U Valley Fusion team finished the 2011 season with a tournament record of 20-10-1.

The 14U Valley Fusion team won the 16U Central Valley Fastpitch League Tournament Championship held July 30 and July 31 in Southington. The team defeated the Southington Lightning in the championship game 5-2. The win was the third straight tournament championship of the season for the Fusion’s 14U team.

Valley Fusion is made up of players from Beacon Falls, Bethany, Naugatuck, and Prospect.

Naugatuck’s Theresa Marcelynas throws to first for an out during the Joan Joyce softball league championship game Aug. 3 at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury. RA ARCHIVE

Naugatuck defeated Cheshire 7-6 on Aug. 3 at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury to win back-to-back Joan Joyce softball league championships. Players on the team are Alessandra DiMaria, Lianne Wallace, Shannon Hale, Theresa Marcylenas, Tori Hendricks, Sam Bombardier, Carli Pelliccia, Shelby Hale, tournament MVP Gillian Fortier, Jess Aronin, Sydney Cotto, and Kim Tirita. The team is managed by Rick Pelliccia, along with coaches Scott Fortier and Leigh Aronin.

Naugatuck’s Shannon Hale is congratulated by her teammates after hitting a solo homerun in the Joan Joyce softball league championship game Aug. 3. RA ARCHIVE

NAUGTUCK — The Naugatuck High School softball team will be hosting its annual summer camp this summer.

The camp is scheduled for July 18 to July 22 and Aug. 1 to Aug. 5 at Naugatuck High School. The camp, instructed by Naugatuck coaches and players, will focus on fielding, catching, throwing, pitching, running, hitting, special situations and conditioning.

Students entering grades one through 10 are eligible. Morning and afternoon sessions will be held. For more information or registration forms contact Coach Kevin Wesche via e-mail weschek@naugy.net or greyhoundsftbll@aol.com or call (230) 910-7499.

Volleyball clinic coming in July

NAUGATUCK — The Naugatuck Greyhound Volleyball Clinic is open to girls entering grades 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. This is an instructional program for girls with an emphasis on developing skills and fundamental techniques.

The clinic, under the direction of Naugatuck High Girls Volleyball Head Coach Fred Scheithe, will be offered mornings from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Naugatuck High School, 543 Rubber Ave. The clinic will run Tuesday through Friday, July 5 through July 8. For further information or to register e-mail fjshy@att.net. Enrollment is limited.

Woodland offering cheerleading clinic

BEACON FALLS — The Woodland Hawks Spirit Club is hosting a four-day cheerleading clinic.

The clinic will run from Monday, June 27 through Thursday, June 30 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Woodland Regional High School gymnasium. The clinic will focus on improving cheerleading skills and learning a cheer and dance routine to perform on last night for family and friends.

The clinic is open to children in grades kindergarten through eighth and cots $50 per child. For more information contact Michele Christensen at mac525@sbcglobal.net or (203) 758-0652.

Woodland lost a two-day affair in the NVL tournament quarterfinals last week to Naugatuck, 8-5. It was a back-and-forth battle that saw the Hawks rally to take a late lead, then give it back, then tie it again before succumbing to a Greyhound rally in the eighth inning last Wednesday.

In Tuesday’s Class M state tournament first round, No. 10 Woodland was upset by No. 23 Sacred Heart Academy, 4-0. Sacred Heart’s Molly Flowers threw a one-hitter, only allowing a fourth-inning single to Emily Wirsing. Flowers struck out 12.

Samantha Lee allowed four runs on nine hits while striking out one. The Hawks committed four errors on the afternoon.

Sacred Heart’s offense was powered by Carry Pietrosimone, who blasted two home runs to help earn her team a second-round appearance at No. 7 Suffield.

Woodland finished the season 16-6, a somewhat surprising record for a team filled with young players.

Kyle Brennan

Naugatuck’s Alexa Marucci winds up for a pitch in Tuesday’s Class LL first round game against Simsbury. The Greyhounds fell to the Trojans 9-4. LARAINE WESCHLER

The No. 20 Trojans came to No. 13 Naugatuck on Tuesday and left with a 9-4 victory in the Class LL state tournament first round.

Simsbury (12-9) plated a run in each of the first three innings before Naugatuck (14-9) stormed back to take the lead. A late Greyhound rally went for naught when the Trojans exploded for six runs in the top of the seventh to put the game away.

“We had a scouting report that allowed us to at least simulate what the Simsbury pitcher did,” Naugatuck head coach Kevin Wesche said about the unorthodox delivery of Williams, the Simsbury pitcher. “What I think she did was a great job of hitting the corners. That kept out batters guessing for the most part and kept us off balance.”

In the top of the seventh, Simsbury loaded the bases on a solid single up the middle, a bunt that didn’t produce an out and an infield error. Another infield error tied the game before Christina Medico sent an RBI single through the hole to put the Trojans ahead, 5-4.

With the game still hanging in the balance, Williams lofted a high, towering drive that cleared the fence for a homer to make it 9-4.

The Simsbury rally came right after Naugatuck came back to take its first lead in the bottom of the sixth. Fortier led off the inning by crushing a double into the gap but was gunned down at third. Wallace followed with her second double of the game and wound up scoring the tying run on a groundout by Nina Kosciuszek.

“I really felt that we could come back against this team after I hit that double to get us on the board,” Wallace said. “Then we took the lead in the sixth inning. I felt the game was ours but they hit that grand slam and took it away from us. It’s a tough way to end the season but I’m so proud of what this team accomplished during the season.”

With the game tied, Melissa Kirschbaum stepped in and sent one out of the yard for the go-ahead run to make it 4-3. Naugatuck was just three outs away from advancing to the next round.

“I thought my home run was pretty much the game winner,” said Kirschbaum. “I really tried hard not to think of it that way but we were just three outs away. This is tough but we had an incredible season. No one thought we would accomplish what we did.”

Julia Dennen led off the game with a solid triple to the gap and later scored on a passed ball. Simsbury upped the margin to 2-0 in the second inning when Alex McDermott and Dennen strung back-to-back hits together.

The Trojans made it a 3-0 advantage in the third when Laura Yablecki singled through the middle to score Williams, who drew a leadoff walk.

Naugatuck battled back in the bottom of the third when Sarah Chandler and Gillian Fortier drew two-out walks to set the table.

Lianne Wallace got every bit of a two-run double that rattled off the base of the center-field fence, closing the gap to 3-2.

The Greyhounds finished the season 14-9 after reaching the Naugatuck Valley League tournament semifinals last week.

Naugatuck's Gillian Fortier tags out Holy Cross' Theresa Marcelynas at home during the semifinals of the NVL softball tournament Wednesday. The Greyhounds fell to the Crusaders 2-1. RA ARCHIVE

Naugatuck fell to Holy Cross 2-1 Wednesday in the semifinals of the NVL softball tournament.

The Crusaders slipped past the Greyhounds on an RBI single by Mikaela Rice in the bottom of the seventh.

The Greyhounds found themselves in the semifinals after outlasting Woodland 8-5 earlier in the day in the conclusion of a quarterfinal match up that started on Tuesday.

The Greyhounds and Hawks were knotted up at 5 a piece after seven innings Tuesday night when the game was postponed due to rain.

Naugatuck scored 3 runs in the top of the eighth when the game resumed Wednesday and Woodland couldn’t find an answer in the bottom of the frame.

Girls Tennis

Woodland fell to Wolcott 4-3 in the semifinals of the NVL girls tennis tournament Wednesday.

Woodland’s Julia Lawton attacks the net Thursday during the NVL girls tennis tournament semifinals. Lawton defeated Wolcott’s Natalie Pagano 8-3. Overall, the Hawks fell to the Eagles 4-3. PHOTO BY LARAINE WESCHLER

Singles: Megan Wester (Woodland) defeated Jessica McHugh, 8-5; Lauren Tremaglio (Woodland) defeated Christina Santos, 8-5; Mackenzie Miller (Wolcott) defeated Liz Martin, 8-6; Julia Lawton (Woodland) defeated Natalie Pagano, 8-3.

Doubles: Pam McWaid/Tyler Mazurski (Wolcott) defeated Angela Vallillo/Avery Gartman, 8-3; Cara Nelson/Alaysia Trotman (Wolcott) defeated Brooke Dragon/Eileen Hurley, 8-6; India Trotman/Alexa Harrison (Wolcott) defeated Amanda Oliveira/Rachel Mariano, 8-6.

The game had all the hallmarks of a classic: Clutch hitting, multiple comebacks, big pitches and dramatic plays on the basepaths. And perhaps the most unique characteristic of all—the length of time it will take to decide a winner.

The Naugatuck Valley League tournament quarterfinal game that started at 6:20 p.m. on Tuesday needed to be finished Wednesday afternoon, after press time. With the score tied, 5-5, after seven innings, the game was set resume at 3:45 p.m. at Naugatuck High, and the winner would play Holy Cross immediately following the end of the game.

In a game between local rivals in a single-elimination conference tournament, a third team has taken control of the game—the weather. And it was a fitting end to the day.

Tuesday’s game was originally set for Saturday, then Monday. Mother Nature had other plans. As Rebecca Norton filed out to end the seventh inning, the skies opened up. The umpires came together and stopped the game.

The contest never restarted on Tuesday. Twenty minutes after heavy rain soaked the field at Wolcott High, the water damage had been done. Small ponds developed between second and third, and in the pitcher’s circle. With no grounds crew in sight, the game was suspended.

If the first seven innings are any indication to how this game will end, it may go down as a true two-day thriller.

The lower-seeded Greyhounds took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Woodland tied it with two in the third.

Naugy went ahead 3-2 in the fifth, only to surrender two runs in the bottom half of the inning.

The Greyhounds had countless chances to score. Through the first seven innings, Naugy left the bases loaded four times and stranded 15 total runners.

Woodland had the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth and failed to score. Naugy left fielder Tori Hendricks completed a double play after she threw out Brooke Leshin, who attempted to score from third after a fly ball out.

The excitement continued into Naugy’s final plate appearance. The ‘Hounds tied the game in dramatic fashion in the top of the seventh with two outs as Melissa LaBonte connected for her fourth hit in as many at-bats to score Erica Bohuski. Three batters later, Lianne Wallace singled home LaBonte to give the Greyhounds a 5-4 lead.

Both teams had a flair for the dramatic. Woodland didn’t disappoint in the bottom half of the inning.

Emily Wirsing led off the bottom of the seventh with an infield hit and advanced on a throwing error. The next batter, Angie Wirsing, crushed a ball into left-center field to score Emily Wirsing. The Greyhounds, however, limited the damage with a perfect relay throw to get Angie Wirsing, who attempted to stretch a double into a triple.

Two fly outs later, the game moved into the top of the eighth. That inning, however, would take place on another day, on another field, in another town and give players another chance to deliver more theatrics.

Weather permitting, of course.

UPDATE: Naugatuck won the game in the eighth inning by scoring three runs in the top of the inning and holding Woodland scoreless in the bottom half. The Greyhounds moved on to face Holy Cross later in the afternoon and fell to the Crusaders, 2-1.

Woodland’s Lindsay Boland is one of three returning senior captains for the Hawks this season. Despite the relative youth of the team and an injury to pitcher Samantha Lee the Hawks have remained strong this year and are poised for a postseason run. FILE PHOTO

Returning just three senior captains—Rebecca Norton, and Kara Hames—a few growing pains were anticipated. Apparently some of the young Hawks didn’t get the memo.

Woodland started out of the blocks with an 8-0 mark, stunning a few teams along the way and winning four of those games by one run.

“I honestly didn’t envision that we would be 16-3 at this point in the season,” Woodland head coach Loren Luddy said. “I think all those one-run games early on gave them a lot of confidence. The team really came together rather quickly.”

Only Seymour, Holy Cross and Ansonia have been able to put blemishes on the Hawks’ 16-3 ledger.

Woodland suddenly had to put another pitcher in the circle when freshman Samantha Lee went down with an injury. However, the wheels hadn’t come off the wagon just yet but they certainly were a little wobbly at that point.

Many teams in that predicament would have naturally folded under the stress and the season could have come unraveled in a hasty fashion. But the Hawks haven’t gone nine seasons in a row making the state tournament by accident.

Woodland has an ingredient not possessed by many teams—resolve. The Hawks just find the will to win. That was displayed in true fashion after suffering their worst loss of the season, a 13-1 pasting by Ansonia.

The Hawks didn’t hang their heads. In fact, they rose to the occasion and have reeled off six straight wins. That speaks volumes about the character of this team. What has been amazing is the way they have done it. Four of the last six wins have been decided by two runs or less.

“We went through a tough period of adjustment once Samantha got hurt,” Luddy said. “Angie [Wirsing] was getting her first varsity experience pitching and she worked extremely hard to get better. The team started to rally around her and to their credit they turned it around.”

Woodland is finding ways to win. That is the mark of a team intent on defending its title. Junior Angie Wirsing has taken over the pitching duties and after a rough start the team has rallied around her and the Hawks are clicking on all cylinders.

Last week, sophomore Nicole Fowler knocked in the game-winning run in a 2-1 victory over Watertown. On Monday, another pair of young players stepped up and delivered in the clutch as Woodland escaped with a 9-7 win over Derby.

Sophomore Brooke Leshin belted a two-out, game-tying single to score Emily Wirsing as Woodland battled back from a 6-5 deficit to score four runs in the seventh and earn the win.

Junior Kristen Dempsey and freshman Brianna Pacileo added last-inning RBI singles.

“We came out flat against Derby,” said Luddy. “Their pitcher was hitting the strike zone but we finally managed to put it all together in that last inning. And to have a sophomore in Brooke come up in that situation with two outs and the game on the line, that was huge.”

The Hawks were scheduled to face Seymour on Thursday in the team’s final regular-season game. The NVL tournament was set to start Saturday, but it may be moved due to this week’s weather. Regardless, Luddy said her team will be set to defend its title.

“Now the tournaments will start and it’s a whole new game,” Luddy said. “Everyone will come ready to go and they know each pitcher and all the batters. They should be some real good games.”

The ‘Hounds have won seven of eight and stand at 12-6. Naugy will wrap up its season with two home games scheduled for this week—against Holy Cross and Kennedy—whenever rain lets up.

Naugy will almost certainly be a part of the Naugatuck Valley League tournament, which invites the top eight finishers of the conference. The tournament is scheduled to begin Saturday in Wolcott, but will likely be moved due to this week’s weather.

On Monday, Naugatuck won two lopsided games against Wilby. Even though Wilby entered play on Monday with a 2-15 mark, Naugy head coach Kevin Wesche was pleased with his team’s effort and did not take the wins for granted.

“We executed everything we had to do,” Wesche said.

The coach was referring to the plate as well as the field. Naugatuck won the first game 15-0, and took the nightcap 22-1.

In game one, Alexa Marucci pitched to contact and only struck out two hitters. Her fielders did the rest in an errorless effort.

“Alexa does a good job of keeping the ball around the plate and keeping hitters off-balanced,” Wesche said.

Sarah Chandler, Naugy’s sophomore shortstop, had three hits, scored three runs and added an RBI in game one. Chandler, and Melissa LaBonte have been the team’s table-setters throughout the year at the top of the order.

Melissa Kirschbaum, the team’s left fielder, had six hits, five RBI and five runs in the doubleheader. Lianne Wallace had five hits and five RBI in the two games.

Gillian Fortier, who leads the NVL with eight homers, had two hits, three RBI and two runs in game two.

Molly Fallon had two hits and three RBI in game two. Fallon, along with Vicki Louth, Joelle Louth and Erica Bohuski, have produced in recent weeks and filled in for injured players.

“We’ve had several inexperienced players step up,” Wesche said.

The Greyhounds one loss over the last eight games came last week to Seymour—a 10-1 defeat. The score may be deceiving.
Naugy took an early lead after LaBonte’s leadoff triple. Seymour tied the game in the third before Steph Burt broke the stalemate with a two-run shot in the fourth for the Wildcats, who scored one more run in the inning and five more in the fifth.

After the loss, Wesche gave the team a couple days off and had a light practice on Sunday. The team responded with two wins on Monday. As the team continues to get healthy, it may be starting to click at the right time.

Whoever happens to be in the lineup on a given day, Wesche said he is happy with the effort.

“They come to play every day, and as coach, that’s all you can ask for,” Wesche said.