(Copyright, Sports on CT-69, file)
St. Paul had three home games on Wednesday, and the Falcons came away with three victories. The Falcon softball, boys lacrosse and baseball teams will all host Class S quarterfinal round games on Saturday. Here’s what happened to each team on Wednesday:
Second-seeded St. Paul softball roared out to an early lead, only to have errors give it all back to No. 18 Somers in their Class S second round game on Wednesday afternoon.
The Falcons trailed 6-5 entering the last of the seventh, and the dream of another run to a state championship game appeared to be fading away. Katrina Roy stepped up and played the role of hero, and St. Paul escaped with a 7-6 walk-off win in eight innings over Somers.
Roy led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, then came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Cari Marchak to tie the game at 6-6. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Roy doubled home pinch runner McKenzie Gauthier with the winning run.
St. Paul will face seventh-seeded Holy Cross in a rematch of last year’s Class S state title game, won by the Crusaders. Saturday’s quarterfinal is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
St. Paul boys lacrosse hadn’t tasted success in a state tournament appearance until Wednesday night.
The Falcons also hadn’t hosted a state tournament game until Wednesday night.
Top-seeded St. Paul knocked off No. 17 Tolland 17-6 in front of its home fans at McPhee Field. The Falcons picked up their first state tournament win, and did so in the first game they have hosted. St. Paul (18-1) will host St. Joseph of Trumbull on Saturday at 4 p.m. in a Class S quarterfinal.
Third-seeded St. Paul baseball will also play a Class S quarterfinal on Saturday at home, thanks to a 9-0 rout of No. 19 St. Bernard of Uncasville on Wednesday.
Julian Thayer was the winning pitcher, and he also hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to help his own cause. Thayer pitched five innings, and he and Scott Winters (two innings) combined to strike out 11. At the plate, Thayer finished 2-for-4 with the home run, four RBI and two runs scored. Chris Mills went 3-for-3 with two RBI, Josh Cofrancesco was 3-for-5 with two runs scored, and Ryan Greene was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Sean Crean was also 2-for-4.
St. Paul will host No. 6 Notre Dame-Fairfield on Saturday at 2 p.m. in a Class S quarterfinal.
