Hoping to capitalize on a big win over St. Joseph's on Thursday, the New Canaan Rams traveled to Fairfield-Warde Friday afternoon to go against the Mustangs who are ranked No. 4 in the state. In a hard-fought contest, the Rams fell to the Mustangs 8-4.
"Our defense killed us," lamented New Canaan coach Larry Tomaselli referring to the three errors and others fielding miscues committed by the Rams. "Otherwise, our approach at the plate was fine, and Cyndey looked good on the mound."
Ram co-captain Tory Rusch went four-for-four with three RBI's, and pitcher Cydney Ventura remained poised and in control throughout the game.
Both teams were quiet at the plate in the first inning as the opposing pitchers made their mark. Warde pitching ace Gina Treglia chalked up two strikeouts against the Rams while Ventura tallied one in the bottom of the frame.
In the second inning, the Mustangs came alive. With one out, Warde's Bianca Passanitti sparked a rally by blasting a shot to deep left for a stand-up triple. Warde's Nikki Schettino bunted on, and Passanitti came home on a throwing error.
The error rattled the Rams as the Mustangs tallied four runs in the second on four hits.
But the Rams weren't done.
In the fourth, New Canaan's Marlee Ready led off with a walk and then stole second. Emily Ely blasted a line drive to center to bring Ready home. Two outs later, Brittany Overacker hit a grounder past Warde's shortstop to bring home Ely.
In the bottom of the fourth, with Mustang runners on the corners and two outs, a heads up play by New Canaan's Brianna Valente forced the runner on third into a pickle; she was tagged out by catcher Jordan Ventura to end the inning.
In the fifth, Jordan Ventura maintained the Rams' momentum by drilling a shot to deep left for a three bagger. Rusch then tallied an RBI with a single to right.
The score was now 4-3, New Canaan trailing by one and in a groove.
For the second time, though, the Mustangs rallied and added two runs each in both the fifth and sixth innings.
In the top of the seventh, after Rusch drove in Lindsey Schmid to make the score 8-4, the Rams loaded the bases with two outs only to end the inning with a ground out to second.
After the game, Rusch remained optimistic, "We need to keep working hard and tighten up our defense. If we win three of our last five games, we will be in the playoffs. We can do it."
