After a disappointing week in the Naugatuck Valley League tournaments, a pair of local teams on the diamond staged rallies in the first round of state tournament action Tuesday to advance in the postseason.
Woodland baseball
Zack Bedryczuk scattered four hits and one earned run in four innings, and Justin Butterworth earned a three-inning save while allowing one earned run as the No. 7-seeded Hawks edged No. 26 Stonington, 4-3, in a Class M first-round game.
Woodland (16-6) took the lead with a three-run fourth inning and held on for the win. Matt Szturma had two singles and an RBI for Woodland, while younger brother Mike tacked on an RBI single and a run. Colby Linnell and Dante DiRubba had an RBI single apiece.
The Hawks bounced back after an early exit in the NVL tournament. They suffered a 3-0 defeat against Seymour last Wednesday in the quarterfinals despite a strong pitching effort by Butterworth, who struck out 11 and surrendered only three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Linnell had two of the four hits Woodland earned off Seymour’s Austin DeRosa.
Woodland will host No. 10 Lewis Mills in Class M second-round action Wednesday.
Naugatuck softball
The No. 12-seeded Greyhounds plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth Tuesday to knock off No. 21 Bristol Central, 3-2, in the first round of the Class L state tournament.
Alyssa Roberts paced Naugatuck (14-8) by twirling a four-hitter with 10 strikeouts. Hailey Deitelbaum powered the Greyhounds’ offense with a double and two RBI, while Megan Schofield had a single, a triple and two runs. Julia Pelliccia also had two hits and a run for Naugy, which rebounded from a loss in the NVL quarterfinals last Wednesday. In that 9-7 loss to eventual runner-up St. Paul, Schofield led the ‘Hounds with three hits.
Naugatuck will visit No. 5 Windsor in the Class L second round Wednesday.
Naugatuck baseball
Naugy’s hardball season ended Saturday in the qualifying round of the Class LL state tournament as the No. 32-seeded Greyhounds fell to No. 33 Norwalk, 9-3.
Naugatuck (8-13), which failed to qualify for the NVL tournament, was led in that game by Tommy Ayash and Nick Bruno, who each had an RBI single.
Woodland softball
The Hawks concluded a pleasantly surprising season Tuesday with a 6-0 loss to No. 2-seeded and undefeated North Branford in the Class M first round. The No. 31-seeded Hawks (10-11) struggled against Sydney Senerchia, arguably the state’s best pitcher, to the tune of 13 strikeouts.
Woodland, which failed to qualify for the NVL tournament, finished the regular season with an even record thanks to a 14-4 win over Morgan of Clinton last Wednesday. Co-captains Steph Krebbs and Ivy Geloso each had two hits and two RBI for the Hawks, and Emily Caruso had three hits and two RBI.
