West Haven coach Joe Morrell could not have drafted a better script. Looking to ride into the postseason with a little momentum, Morrell and his team did exactly that, sweeping a doubleheader over Darien and Hillhouse as part of “Pam Strong” contest against the Blue Wave and Senior Night against Hillhouse Wednesday evening at Biondi Field in West Haven.
The Westies opened the day in support of school principal Pam Gardner, who is battling stomach cancer, with a thrilling 7-6 victory over Darien, then blanked Hillhouse 16-0 on Senior Night. With the two victories, West Haven closed the regular season with four straight wins and an 11-9 record.
Trailing 5-3 against the Blue Wave, West Haven rallied, then won the contest with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
With one out, Morgan Peryer singled to center and Ivy Santos singled to short. After Peryer was caught stealing, Kasey Marron doubled to right to score Santos for the victory.
West Haven took an early lead in the first inning against Darien, scoring twice for a 2-0 advantage.
Ashlynn O’Keefe led off with a single, moved to second on a ground out by Veronica Lynn, and scored on Kailey Carrano’s double. Carrano scored when Peryer tripled to center.
The Westies increased the lead to 3-0 in the second as Brianna Sebastian was hit by a pitch with two outs, and scored on a double to right by O’Keefe.
Darien took a 5-3 lead in the third with a two-out rally. Trailing 6-3 in the fifth, West Haven started its comeback.
Lynn, Carrano and Makenna White singled to score one run, and a ground out by Santos got West Haven within 6-5. When Marron reached on an error, West Haven evened the game at six.
Carrano led the offense with four hits, two runs scored, and a run batted in. O’Keefe, Lynn, and Peryer each added a pair of hits.
The Westies capped the regular season with a thorough defeat over Hillhouse. Scoring ten times in the second inning, West Haven cruised to a 16-0 win in a game stopped after five innings due to the mercy rule.
Michelle Madar led the offense with two hits, five runs batted in, and a run scored, while Santos and Peryer each drove in two runs.
Marron scored four times, and White and O’Keefe each scored twice. Marron also pitched three shutout innings, allowing four hits and striking out eight.
Leading 1-0, West Haven put the game away with ten runs in the second inning. Marron and Cassandra Thibodeau opened with walks, and both scored on a double by Madar.
After O’Keefe reached on an error, Lynn doubled for the third run of the inning. Carrano walked, White reached on an error to score Lynn, and Peryer singled to score Carrano.
A double to center by Santos plated White and Peryer for a 9-0 lead, and Madar singled later in the inning to score Santos.