What a day to be involved with Holy Cross on the diamond.
The Crusader softball and baseball teams each won their games via walk-off. Both move on to the NVL Tournament finals, which will be played Wednesday at Naugatuck High School.
Softball trailed Torrington 3-2 in the last of the seventh inning of their semifinal game at Naugatuck on Monday. Worse still, the Crusaders were down to their final out. Nicole Strielkauskas help Holy Cross going with a double, then Aubry DeFoe unloaded for a two-run, walk-off home run and a stunning 4-3 victory.
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| Holy Cross softball fell behind Torrington 3-0 in Monday’s NVL semifinal, but ended up winning 4-3 on a dramatic two-run walk-off homer by Aubrey DeFoe. |
“Aubrey works so hard, and it’s great for her to come out and get that win,” Holy Cross head coach Meg Dwyer said.
In the baseball semifinal, Wolcott jumped on Holy Cross for four runs and a 5-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning. The Crusaders responded in a big way. First, a sacrifice fly made the score 5-2, then Matt Bonvicini launched a three-run homer to tie the game.
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| Holy Cross freshman Tim Zupkus had this solo home run in Monday’s NVL baseball semifinal against Wolcott, but he also added a key two-run single in the seventh inning of a wild 9-8 victory. |
The Eagles surged ahead 8-5 in the seventh, but the Crusaders again had the response they needed. Tim Zupkus, who had already homered in the game, ripped a two-run single down the left field line to cut the deficit to 8-7. A wild pitch tied the game, then Adam Razza put together a terrific at bat before drawing a walk-off walk for the 9-8 win.
“As I said before the tournament, if we advance to the NVL championship, which is where we said we wanted to be, we’re going to face three great teams,” Holy Cross head coach Mike Phelan said.
Normally, it’s pitching and defense that does it for the Crusader baseball team. This time, it was the bats.
“We did have good at bats,” Phelan said. “We battled at the plate.”
Both Holy Cross teams battled on Monday, and now each will play for a NVL title on Wednesday.
That’s it for tonight. Look for more from me on Holy Cross softball and baseball tomorrow.
