By Ron P. Coderre

Two local teams reached the Quarterfinals of the CIAC baseball and softball tournaments only to fall, officially concluding what’s been an average spring season for most teams.

Plainfield, ranked #22 in Class M, put up a valiant showing as the Panthers won two games over higher ranked teams before succumbing to #19 St. Joseph’s 2-0 in the Quarters. Three local baseball entries, Killingly, Elis Tech and Putnam fell from the tournament in First Round action.

The Tourtellotte softball team, ranked #23, carried the banner for Northeastern Connecticut schools advancing to the Quarterfinals before losing to #2 seed Thomaston 9-1.  Plainfield and Ellis Tech girls were eliminated in the First Round, while the Putnam Lady Clippers made it to the Second Round before being eliminated.

Plainfield Makes Strong Bid 

But Falls in Class M

Despite having to dodge the rain drops, the Plainfield Panthers were able to pick up a CIAC Class M First Round 13-3 victory over #11 seed Windham in a game that was played over a two-day period.  Jordan Federer held the Whippet bats under control on the first day of action before the skies opened up and emptied much needed rain on the diamond.  Federer tossed five strong innings, allowing one hit and striking out 11 opponents.  Dave Kumiega, Dave Carpenter and Colby Greenhalgh ignited a four-run first inning rally and the Panthers ran off with the victory.

The win over Windham moved Plainfield into an encounter with #6 seed Wolcott in a game played on the road.  Unfazed by the road trip, Plainfield walked off with a satisfying 7-1 win.  Carpenter sparked the offense with a three-run homer, while the bat of Dylan Horn produced three hits and senior Steve Jankowski added a double in a two-hit showing.

The end of the road for the Panthers came in the Quarterfinals when they were shutout 2-0 by #19 St. Joseph’s in a game played in Trumbull.  A two-run fifth inning rally by the Saints was the difference in the contest.  Jason Biesiadecki and Jankowski each had two hits in the losing effort.  The Panthers close out the season at 13-10.

Putnam squared off against Portland in a road game and suffered through a long ride home as the Clippers were eliminated 6-2.  Nick Foucault was the tough luck loser.  Jacob Guertin closed out his high school career with a two-hit game, while freshman Aiden Ciquera drove home a run for Putnam, which closes the books at 9-12.

Ellis Tech lost to a familiar foe, Norwich Tech 5-4 in a game that went down to the wire.  The loss brings the Golden Eagles season to a close at 10-11.  Killingly, which won a play-in game over Seymour faced the dubious task of playing #2 seed Montville in the First Round.  The Redmen fell 13-2 to close out the season at 10-12.  Tre Belanger and Ben Desaulnier drove in the two Killingly runs.

Tourtellotte Ladies Reach 

Q Finals of CIAC

Tourtellotte posted a pair of impressive victories in the CIAC Tournament before falling to #2 Thomaston 9-1 in the Quarterfinals.  The loss closes the book for the Lady Tigers at 12-11.  Prior to the loss to Thomaston, #22 seed Tourtellotte opened with a solid performance in a 15-5 win over #6 seed Wolcott Tech.  The Lady Tigers scored eight run in the top of the first inning to salt away the victory.  The next contest was at home against #26 Cromwell and the Tourtellotte gals put on a good show for the home folks, winning a close contest 6-5.  Crystal Daly was the complete game winner with 11 strikeouts.  Emily Vincent led the hitting parade going 4-for-4 at the plate.  Carinne Sosnowski and Christina Kopacz each added a pair of hits.

Putnam faced a familiar foe in Norwich Tech in its First Round game.  The Clippers and Warriors split two games during the regular season, but Putnam prevailed 8-5 in the postseason.  The #17 seed Putnam used the strong arm of Mackenzie Livingston in forging the win.  Livingston went the distance, posting six strikeouts while adding two hits at the plate.  Freshman Ashley Burke enjoyed a 3-for-3 day at the bat.  The Clippers were pitted against #1 East Granby in their next game.  They were no match for the top seed, falling hard 19-5 to close out the year at 12-10.

Ellis Tech and Plainfield fell in First Round games.  Despite a two-run home run by Keri Lehtonen, the Lady Panthers, seeded #22 lost to #11 seed Northwestern 6-2.  The Lady Techsters, ranked #14 were beaten 12-2 by #19 Coventry despite a 3-for-4 showing at the plate by Autumn Jackson.  Ellis Tech closes the books on 2015 at 12-10.