PUBLISHER’S NOTE—This story was updated on Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m., after the SWC changed the site to one of the games again.
STRATFORD—For as long as South-West Conference softball players can remember, the road to a championship has always run through Stratford’s DeLuca Hall of Fame Field.
With its rich history, stadium seating and tournament atmosphere, DeLuca has long served as the traditional home for the SWC Semifinals and Finals. In fact, according to the Connecticut Post, it became the permanent home of the SWC’s latter rounds since 1999.
This year, however, the postseason tradition faces an unexpected detour.
Construction and ongoing facility renovations at DeLuca Field have forced league officials to relocate the tournament’s penultimate round. Instead of the familiar baseline dust of Stratford, the remaining four teams will split up across two new locations for Tuesday’s highly anticipated semifinal matchups.
Top-seeded and undefeated New Milford will take its historic quest for a first-ever league title to Masuk High School’s field, where the Green Wave are scheduled to battle No. 5 Newtown.
Meanwhile, the other half of the bracket features No. 2 Brookfield against defending champion and No. 3 Masuk. That marquee matchup will be hosted at Newtown High School.
While the change of scenery shifts the logistics, it also serves as a reminder of just how special DeLuca Field is to Connecticut softball. Named after legendary local sports figure Frank DeLuca, the stadium opened in 1946 and has spent eight decades anchoring the sport.
It is globally recognized as the historic home of the Stratford Brakettes—the iconic women’s fastpitch franchise being inducted into the USA Softball National Hall of Fame this October.
Generations of legendary athletes, including the immortal Joan Joyce, have dominated its diamond.
SWC athletes will certainly miss the distinct aura of playing under the Stratford lights this week.
Yet, whether stepping onto the collegiate turf at SHU or navigating the high school diamonds of Newtown, the stakes remain just as high as they try to punch their tickets to the championship game.
Both games reportedly will start at 5 p.m.
According to one league source, the site of the championship game is still to be determined, depending on who wins in the semifinals.
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