Lady Bobcats Come Up Just Short

The 2010 Class L State Semi-Final game between 3rd seed Brookfield (22-3) and 6th seed Bristol Eastern (19-4) couldn't have been played any closer.  So it was only fitting that it came to down to a two-out, runner-on-second, full-count situation to end the game.

The Lady Bobcats had battled all year playing at a high level to put themselves in a position to play for the state title.  This game was no different.  Falling behind 2-0 in the early innings they battled back to make the score 2-1.  Then they fell behind 3-1 and once again cut the lead to 3-2.

In the bottom of the seventh inning they battled to get a runner in scoring position.  The game was left up to freshman Giuliana D'Arcangelo, who had been inserted in the lineup late in the year as a designated hitter for pitcher Kayla Berardi.

"She swings a very good bat," Brookfield coach Frank Bonacci said of his freshman DH.  "With the summer heat coming on I made the decision that pitching is where Kayla's invaluable."

D'Arcangelo fought like the rest of the team, working the count full after falling behind 0-2.  She couldn't lay off a high heater however and with one big swing of the bat the season was over as Brookfield fell 3-2.

"It's a game of inches," Bonacci commented as he thought of the numerous plays in the game that went one inch towards Bristol Eastern and just out of Brookfield's reach.

The Lady Lancers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when starting pitcher Alyssa Boutin drilled a triple to right center field.  The hit drove in left fielder Casey Bayne, who had been hit by a pitch.

"She got that first run in the first inning," Bristol Eastern head coach Chris D'Amato said.  "She's been doing that all year."

Bayne was then aided by solid defense behind her as the Lady Bobcats made contact in the first inning but had nothing to show for it. 

"They hit line drives in the first inning, then she settled down," D'Amato said.  "She had everything working today, kept them off balance.  She's been working great with [catcher] Sarah Arburr."

In the third inning Berardi gave up another triple to leadoff hitter Rachel Beaudoin with one out.  The Lady Lancers then caught a break as they tried to put down a suicide squeeze play.  The Brookfield defense was ready for it but the ball was popped up off the bat of left fielder Casey Bayne and went just over the glove of first baseman Stephanie Moss, allowing the run to score.

"The suicide squeeze play, can't do nothing about that," Bonacci said.  "It went inches over the first baseman's head."

Brookfield got the run back in the bottom of the third inning when leadoff hitter Jessie Angelo got aboard with a one-out single.  She advanced to second base on a sacrafice fly by D'Arcangelo.  Bristol Eastern's right fielder Michaela Rose made a sliding catch on the drive by D'Arcangelo after she had robbed Angelo of a hit to lead off the game in the first inning with a running catch.  Angelo then scored on a ground ball by freshman Felicia Lennon that was misplayed by the shortstop.

Bristol Eastern went back up by two runs in the sixth inning on another play that went their way.  With a runner on second base and two outs, Beaudoin hit a slow roller to the shortstop that was fielded by Morgan Foley.  Foley threw the ball to an outstretched Moss just after the runner crossed the bag.  While Moss gathered herself center fielder Kristi Benvenuto raced around third base and headed for home.  Moss came up firing and appeared to have delivered the ball to catcher Jill Carneglia ahead of the sliding player who was called safe.

"He said it was a late tag," Bonacci said of the umpires call.  "I thought she had the plate blocked.  It was a matter of inches."

Brookfield rallied in the bottom of the inning again to give themselves a chance to win the game.  Lennon drew a leadoff walk and Foley hit an infield single with one out.  Lennon rounded second base to0 far on the hit by Foley and was caught in a rundown that proved costly.

"You get caught up in the moment out there as a player, just one of those things," Bonacci said of Lennon's aggressive play.  "I will never condemn a player for giving me a hundred percent.  Everybody makes mistakes."

Following the baserunning mistake, little-used pinch-hitting sophomore Wendi Westmark drove a ball to the left field wall for a run scoring double that could have tied the game.

"She did not get as much playing time as she wanted," Bonacci said of Westmark.  "I know what it's like for players when they don't get an opportunity.  I told her to be ready and she was."

For Brookfield it was the last game for five seniors.  Berardi, Moss, Carneglia, Foley and second baseman Nikki Suib led the team as far as they could and were helped along the way by a strong group of freshman and sophomores.  Moss and Berardi were both named all-state.

"I'm as proud of the younger players as I am of the seniors.  My team gave a hundred percent," Bonacci said.  "I'm losing almost my entire infield, it's going to be funny not seeing them out there.  I told my younger players, 'Remember this moment.'"

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