By Ron P. Coderre

In a light week of action as teams prepare for the CIAC Tournament, Putnam and Ellis Tech were involved in the Constitution State Conference Tournament and Plainfield was in action in the ECC Tournament.

Putnam ranked #5 was victorious in quarterfinal play but was eliminated in the semifinals.  Plainfield seeded #8 was eliminated in a quarterfinal contest.  Woodstock Academy was eliminated in a Qualifying Round contest.

Tourtellotte concluded its regular season schedule with a big win, while Ellis Tech fell hard in its CSC tourney game.

Conference Tourney Action

for Putnam and Plainfield

The Putnam High School girls’ softball team almost wore Cinderella’s glass slipper in the CSC Tournament but the Lady Clippers eventually lost in a semifinal heart breaker.

The Lady Clippers reached the semifinals with a 5-0 shutout of #4 ranked Kaynor Tech.  The victory moved Putnam into the semifinals against #1 ranked Wilcox Tech, where it took eight innings for the final verdict to be determined.  Unfortunately Putnam came up on the wrong end of a 6-5 score.

Despite a 17 strikeout performance by Mackenzie Livingston the Lady Clippers let a three-run seventh inning lead slip through their fingers, allowing Wilcox Tech new life.  The Lady Techster took advantage of the situation in the extra frame.  Livingston also had a big day at the plate driving in three Putnam runs.

In the quarterfinal contest Livingston struck out 15 Kaynor Tech batters in a route-going performance.  Back-to-back home runs by Lindsay Roberts and Aliceya Labonte propelled Putnam to the win.  The Lady Clippers are 13-9 as they prepare for the CIAC Tournament.

Wilcox Tech reached the semifinals by rolling past Ellis Tech 23-8 in a quarterfinal contest.

Plainfield closed out its regular season with a big 21-1 victory over Windham High School.  Madison Kelley had a grand slam home run and a double and drove in five runs for the Lady Panthers, who also had a five-hit performance from Kayla Rojas.

In the ECC quarterfinals, Plainfield drew the #1 team in the conference and the State, the Fitch Lady Falcons.  Fitch was the easy winner with a 15-0 shutout victory in a five-inning ‘mercy rule’ game.  Plainfield is 10-11 as it enters the CIAC Tournament.

Tourtellotte closed out its regular season with a 21-1 win over the Lyman Lady Bulldogs.  Emily Vincent and Christina Kopacz were the big offensive guns for the Lady Tigers.  Tourtellotte enters the CIAC Tournament with a 13-7 record.  They finished with a 6-4 mark in the ECC Small Division.

Woodstock Academy girls’ team took it on the chin in a Class M Qualifying Round game.  The #15 ranked Lady Centaurs were beaten 14-2 by #18 ranked North Brookfield.