Softball: St. Joseph blanks Staples High, 3-0

St. Joseph defeated Staples of Westport, 3-0, in an FCIAC softball game at Dalling Field in Trumbull on Friday. It wasn’t a dominating performance from coach Jeff Babineau’s Cadets, but it didn’t need to be. “We play hard for twenty-one outs, execute every play,” Babineau said after his team improved to 8-1 overall and 6-0 in the FCIAC. “The players are settled in. I’m happy with them playing good solid softball.” St. Joseph scored two runs in the second inning and one run in the fifth to send the Wreckers home with a 2-6 record. “A lot of coaches don’t believe in moral victories,” Staples coach Luigi Cammarota said. “I usually agree. But the team started out 0-5, then won two in a row. This is a boost for the team, we’ve had a good week. Pitching-wise, we gave up five hits and nothing was hit hard. We can build from this.” St. Joseph’s Nicole Williams got the win, striking out 10, including three in the seventh. Staples' Emily Lustbader pitched into the fifth inning, before Cat Connell came on in relief with two outs and a runner at second. She got the last out on Lily Tufel’s fine play at third. Hannah Hutchison and Hanna Errico opened the first with singles and both scored on Melissa Bike's hit to the outfield. It was all Errico in the fifth, when the junior bunted her way on base, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when another pitch went to the backstop. Staples threatened in the third when Sami Levin singled and Gabby Perry drove a double to deep right field. St. Joseph got out of the jam when it caught Perry after she rounded second and found third base occupied. Gillian Birk drew a walk off Williams with two out in the fifth, but was stranded. Perry singled with one out in the sixth. She was forced out at second base before Lustbader doubled to right. Williams got a ground-ball out to Kayla Giacobbe at shortstop to retire the side. Kaitlin Capobianco had a hit and was left at third base in the Cadets’ second at bat.

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