The Wilton High softball team out-hit Fairfield Warde on Monday — it just couldn't deliver a clutch hit.
That inability plagued the Warriors during a 3-2 loss to Warde in Wilton.
Wilton had 11 hits — one more than the Mustangs — and had runners reach base in each inning except the seventh. But the Warriors hit into two key double-plays that thwarted their scoring efforts.
“It’s clear the progress this young team has made this year,” said Wilton head coach Brian Jacobs whose team is now 4-13 overall. “We played good, solid defense today and only committed one error and we were right in the game. Some timely hitting and no base-runner mistakes and we could have come away with a win against a very good team."
Warde (12-6) got out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. The Warriors' only error, coupled with a wild pitch and three Warde singles, helped the visitors score their the runs.
Wilton got one back in the bottom of the first, as Taylor Floyd singled home Nicole Amato. Amato had doubled with one out.
Warde upped its lead to 3-1 in the third inning. The Mustang's leadoff batter singled, stole second and came home on a double.
In the bottom of the third, the Warriors had a chance to get that run back and possibly more. Wilton got three singles to load the bases with one out. But the next batter flied out to right field and the runner on first was doubled off for the final out.
Wilton did cut the Warde lead to 3-2 in the fifth inning. The Warriors scored their run on a Warde throwing error.
In the sixth, a potential Wilton rally was again cut short by a double play with a runner doubled off a base to end the inning.
Amato led the Warriors with three hits (two doubles and a single) and Sage Zunda and Emily Etie each added two singles.
Notes: Wilton’s starting infield featured four freshmen: Madeline Christi at first, Emma Cropper at second, Sommer Rogg at short, and Floyd at third. Rogg assisted on all three outs in the seventh inning; Floyd made several plays to her left; Cropper covered the bag at second on force plays; and Christi made several stretches at first to snag throws.