Sports
Middletown 11-12 Girls Softball Team Now District Champs
What started out as a pitchers duel through two innings turned into Middletown scoring 11 runs in the last two innings to win 11-1 in four innings. Next up is sectionals in Jewett City.
Update Saturday 10 p.m.
Let let the unsurprisingly elated coach Jay Franklin tell us in himself.
What started out as a pitchers duel through two innings turned into Middletown scoring 11 runs in the last two innings to win 11-1 in four innings. They scored eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to end the game. Middletown was led by the outstanding pitching of Kerry Noetzel. Kerry was absolutely unbelievable, pitching the whole game and not giving up any hits.
Kerry pitched a no-hitter behind some outstanding defense from Middletown. Our defense just keeps on getting better every game. For Kerry to pitch a no-hitter in such an important game is an accomplishment that I am sure we will remember for a long time.
The offense was led by Carley Gessaro, one hit and two runs scored; Kerry Noetzel, one hit and two runs scored; and Janelle Franklin, who went two for two with two runs scored, and drove in the winning runs with a line-drive hit to center field. These girls continue to impress the coaches every game.
The next step for the team is the sectionals that will take place in Jewett City on Friday, July 5. The sectionals are a double-elimination tournament running from July 5-12. Our girls are ready to do their best and represent Middletown. Thanks again to the parents for all the support.
Original story:
The Middletown girls 11-12 softball all-star team has a chance to make history tonight as they face off against Madison in Clinton for the Little League District 9 championship in a best of three game tournament.
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If they win, it’s on to the sectionals.
The team won its first four games of the tournament by a combined score of 43-8.
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The girls beat Madison 11-1 in four innings Friday night behind the pitching of Kelsey Culup and big hits from Carley Gessaro, who hit a home run and Kayleigh Samolis, who hit a triple.
According to coach Jay Franklin, this is a group of girls all new to the 11- to 12-year-old all-stars. Even though they are all new girls, Middletown is looking to defend its district 9 championship from 2012. Five of the girls did play on the 9-10 year old district champions from 2012: they came together after only four practices to win their first four games by a total of 43-8, he says.
“This was all because of fantastic pitching, timely hitting and good defense. These girls work their tails off at practice to try and keep getting better because they know the competition only gets tougher. This group of girls when they were on the 9-10 year old all star team did not win one game, going 0-4.”
After a couple years and back together again, they now play for the district 9 championship. The championship is vs. Madison being played in Clinton. The games are best two of three on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.
Franklin says the team has a great group of parents and families that support the girls with everything they have. “Without the support they give, we could not be in this position. They have become a team and a family in a very short time.”
The roster is: manager Bob Dorflinger, coaches Jay Franklin and Linda Culup,
Players Sydney Cote, Kelsey Culup, Janelle Franklin, Carley Gessaro, Nicole Hauck, Kerry Noetzel, Nicole Perez, Breanna Saldivar, Kayleigh Samolis, Arianna Scionti, Patricia Shettleworth, and Cheyene Trinidad.
Connecticut Little League District 9 is located in south central Connecticut. The district oversees Little League programs for the following leagues: Chester, Clinton, Coginchaug, Cromwell, Deep River, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Guilford, Haddam, Killingworth, Madison, Middletown, Old Saybrook, Portland and Westbrook.
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