Softball Competition Heating Up

Perhaps it's too early to think of such things but softball fans may want to circle May 18. At least in pencil. That's the day Somers and Suffield will meet.

The irresistible force and the immovable object.

So far Somers is 5-0 and has allowed four runs. Suffield is 5-0 and has scored 63 runs.

Somers, of course, is led by senior JoJo Meunier, who hurled a three-hit shutout against East Windsor earlier in the week. Meunier also drove in the only run in the game.

Before the season, Somers coach Melanie Zamorski identified several key players, among them center fielder Shelby LaDue, who had two hits and scored the games only run.

Such economy is not the way Suffield goes about things. The Wildcats exercised the demons of last year beating Granby, the only NCCC team to beat them a year ago, 7-6. Suffield has been getting contributions from expected sources such as Alyssa Wagner, Kelly Kenney, Stephanie Fahey and Kayla Hale.

The Wildcats have also been getting contributions from new faces such as freshman Lexi Palotti. There is a lot of softball to be played between now and mid-May but it's fun to think a little bit ahead.

At The Start

Sometimes the start of a season is revealing. Other times it's an illusion. Making guesses as to which is which can be hazardous to your health but let's do it anyway.

East Windsor is off to a 2-3 start but should be encouraged by the 1-0 loss to Somers. Briana Matteson allowed just the one run and offense is coming from players such as Kayla Hersom.

Off to a faster start is Cheney Tech, which is 3-1 behind the pitching of Katie Sirois and the bats of Kristen Charest, Paige Parker and Jackie Ellis among others.

E.O. Smith has won three straight after dropping their opener. Pitcher Josie Borysevicz righted the ship last week with a four-hit, 14 strikeout performance against Lyman Memorial. The Panthers have outscored opponents 31-6 since the opening loss.

Fermi is off to a slow start but it's not because of the Falcons offense. The Falcons have scored 38 runs in four games but are 1-3. Ashley Reid, Katie Schienda and Katie Saltzgiver have keyed the Falcons potent lineup. Fermi has only one game this week, Tolland visits Wedneday, so there should be time to tighten up the defense, which will be integral to a run at the state tournament.

Rockville is another team off to a fast start behind the solid pitching and hitting of Kaitlyn Lajoie and additional hitting support of Jackie Ose.

Lacrosse and Tennis

Windsor has won three of its first four games but the way the Warriors have won is even more impressive. Windsor has two one-goal wins including a nail-biter Friday against Northwest Catholic-West Hartford. In close games, goal-keeping is especially important and Katie McLoughlin has been excellent. She had 13 saves against Northwest Catholic.

Suffield continues to show why people expect great things. The Wildcats (4-0) can get scoring outbursts from multiple players including Molly Clark, Grace Presnick, Nicole Gagnon, Natalie Glynn, Katie Shute, Nur Hamideh and the list doesn't stop with them.

At the beginning of the season Tolland tennis, with Sarah Anischik and Katie Rhodes seemed as safe a bet as there was in the region to field a solid team. So far the Eagles, 3-1, have not disappointed. Neither has Ellington/Somers sophomore Hannah Riley, who continued her unbeaten season with a victory in No. 1 singles against Windsor Locks.