Bristol Central softball’s Kaley Laird rips a double for one of her game-high four hits during Thursday’s 14-2 home win over city rival Bristol Eastern. (Copyright, Sports on CT-69)
The Bristol Eastern softball team couldn’t have gotten off to a better start on Thursday afternoon against Bristol Central on the road.
Emily Valentine dropped down a perfect drag bunt for a base hit. Ashley Serafin then launched a Sophia Torreso offering over the fence for a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
The Rams offered a swift response, tying the game in the bottom of the first, then claiming a 4-2 lead after two. Central erupted for seven runs in the fifth on the way to a dominating 14-2 win over Eastern. The Rams finished the regular season with a 19-1 record, the only loss coming against Southington. The Lancers ended the regular season at 11-9.
Torreso starred in the circle for Central with 17 strikeouts. She struck out the side on four different occasions from the second inning on, according to a story from Michael Letendre of The Bristol Edition.
Offensively, the Rams rode a balanced attack to 16 hits. Kaley Laird led the way with four hits, including a pair of doubles, and four runs scored. Lorelei Stancavage bunted for a run-scoring hit but also had an inside-the-park home run, plus four RBIs. Dez Nickerson smacked a three-run home run and Torreso helped her own cause with two hits and two RBIs. Tori Hogan (two hits, two RBIs) and Emma Kulak each had a double.
The seven-run frame began with a bloop, then back-to-back blasts. Adriana Lubrico singled, then Kulak hammered a double off the fence. Nickerson hit a ball way over the fence to turn a 6-2 lead into a 9-2 bulge. Four more runs came home as the Rams blew the game open.
Central hosts Plainville on Tuesday in a 2-7 quarterfinal matchup in the CCC Tournament. The semifinals are Wednesday at the higher seed with the final on Thursday at the Dunn Sports Complex in Meriden.
GALLERY: Here are my photos from Thursday’s game.
