Don’t look now, but here comes Fairfield Ludlowe.
The two-time defending state Class LL champs had a down year by its lofty standards, going 8-12 (granted, six of those losses were by two runs or less) on the regular season. The Falcons also missed the FCIAC playoffs, a tournament they had won four years in a row.
Still, Ludlowe qualified for the state tournament and was seeded 23rd in the 24-team field.
So, what did the Falcons do?
They won back-to-back games in the big school tournament, beating two league rivals in the process, to advance to Friday’s quarterfinals.
“Basically, it’s really just there’s a lot of pride in our program and after not making the FCIAC tournament we have been chomping at the bit and we weren’t going down not fighting,” Ludlowe second-year head coach Adam Laliberte said. “We get we are the No. 23 seed but the FCIAC is a monster so we are a lot better than our 8-12 record would indicate.”
How good is the FCIAC?
Well, if Ludlowe hopes to return to the state semifinals it has to beat Ridgefield, which was the No. 8 seed in the FCIAC tournament.
The Tigers also qualified for the quarterfinals with a pair of huge wins.
But first, let’s look at Ludlowe’s road to the quarterfinals.
In the first-round game, the Falcons made the trip to Danbury to face the 10th-seeded Hatters, a fellow FCIAC foe that they lost to by a 3-0 score earlier this season.
This time around, however, was different. Ludlowe bested the Hatters by an 8-4 score.
Lauren Santa Barbara (2-for-3, 2 runs, 3 RBIs) and Gia Patrone (3-for-4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs) and Ella Gremse (2-for-3, 3 RBIs) were the big guns for the Ludlowe.
Finley Dean came on in relief in the second inning, going 5.1 innings and giving up just a single run.
In Wednesday’s second round, the Falcons went to seventh-seeded Norwalk—well technically Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk—to face the Bears of Norwalk High.
Norwalk High is actually building a new school and in doing so the town opted to stage all the construction equipment on Norwalk’s former softball field, so the Bears have been playing all their homes games across town on the home field of their arch-rival Senators.
Of course, the game could have been played at Yankee Stadium and Ludlowe, as two-time reigning champs, simply wasn’t going to roll over and let anybody end their season.
Falcons 6, Bears 4.
Two runs in the top of the sixth won it for Ludlowe.
The Falcons only had six hits against Norwalk’s Maddie Collins, and it was six different Ludlowe players who got the hits.
Gina Solow, Allie Tournas, Alexa Mills, Gia Patrone, Kaitlyn Scotto and Ella Gremse all reached on singles. Six different players—Tournas, Mills, Patrone, Lauren Santa Barbara, Scotto and Finley Dean—scored runs.
Laliberte used three pitchers in the game, including starter Angie Tavella, who lasted just an inning and gave up two unearned runs.
For the second game in a row, Dean came on in relief and did an amazing job. She went six innings, giving up three hits and just one earned run. She walked two and struck out two.
“We’ve put Finley in a really challenging situation and she’s shown a lot of grace under fire and has continued to grow throughout the year,” Laliberte said. “Her future is exceptionally bright.”
Now the Falcons get Ridgefield with a berth in the Class LL final four on the line.
The Tigers have not had an easy road to the quarterfinals.
In fact, the Ridgefield team has put more than 350 miles on its bus over the first two rounds of the state tournament just to host Friday’s game against the Falcons.
In the first round, the Tigers, the 18th seed in the Class LL tourney, made the trip to Fitch and posted a 4-0 win.
Caitlin McCratty was brilliant for the Tigers, earning the complete-game shutout. She gave up two hits and struck out three.
“What a statement win, fueled by freshman composure,” Ridgefield coach Rita Jagodzinski said. “Caitlin McGratty—McGRITTY)—was phenomenal against Fitch: 1 hit, 0 walks, 3 Ks on 97 pitches. Watching Caitlin grow and compete harder every game has been a true highlight this season. So proud of her effort yesterday!”
Against Enfield, it wasn’t quite as smooth sailing as McGratty gave up three runs in the first inning and the Tigers fell behind by a 3-1 score.
The Tigers pitcher would not give up another run the rest of the game, however, as Ridgefield would score four more times to get the win.
Piper Keane has been on fire this state tournament. Against Fitch, she had two hits, and she added three more against Enfield.
Sonia Gaughran, who had a triple and a run in the first-round win, added two RBIs against Enfield, as did Maddie Muncy.
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