Softball Recap: Cromwell Comes Up Short

Cromwell had lost three straight at home, but on Tuesday they dropped their record down to 5-4 to make it four. They came up short against the North Branford Thunderbirds, falling 7-0. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Panthers of the 15-3 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in May of 2024.

As for North Branford, the victory keeps they at an undefeated 6-0. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they've averaged 10.0 runs this season.

For North Branford's part, Lauren Vitarisi made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 12 over seven innings pitched. Those 12 strikeouts gave Vitarisi a new career-high. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. That stolen base was her first of the season.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Alia Martone, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. She has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last four times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Lexi Falcioni, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base.

We've got plenty of inter-league action coming up soon. Cromwell is set to challenge their familiar foe Coginchaug Regional at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Meanwhile, North Branford will face off against rival Portland at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday.