The Wilton High girls softball team opened its 2015 season with a 2-0 loss to the visiting Brookfield Bobcats on Wednesday.
Both teams’ bats were as cold as the game-time temperature, which was in the 40's. The two teams combined for only five hits in the game, with the Bobcats capitalizing on two of their three hits.
Sophomore Sage Zunda started on the mound for Wilton and went the distance, striking out seven batters.
The Warrior defense committed two errors in the first inning, and a walk loaded the bases for Brookfield. Zunda pitched herself out of trouble and held the Bobcats without a run, striking out two.
Wilton had a chance in the bottom of the first as Eliza Ward and Nicole Amato drew walks to open the inning. But after both runners stole a base, they were left stranding and the first inning ended scoreless.
Zunda set down the Bobcats in order in the second and third innings, as she got solid support from her young infielders. Both teams were hitless through three innings.
In the fourth Brookfield got a walk and a single, for the game's first hit, to open the inning. A comebacker to Zunda forced the lead runner at third for the first out. A double steal by the Bobcats and a fielder’s choice then loaded the bases, and a fly ball to Pippa Gosden for the second out scored the game’s first run on the sacrifice fly. Zunda struck out the next batter to end the inning.
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, freshman Taylor Floyd singled for the Warriors' first hit and the first hit of her high school career.
In the top of the fifth, Zunda found herself in trouble again with no outs. A bunt single between the pitcher and second, an error, and walk loaded the bases. Floyd fielded a grounder at third to force the runner at the plate for the first out. Zunda then closed down the Brookfield threat with two more strikeouts to end the inning.
In the sixth the Bobcats had runners at second and third with one out. A wild pitch got past Ward, the Wilton catcher, and the Brookfield runner broke for home. She reached safely, but was called out for interference as she ran into Zunda, who was covering the plate.
But the next Brookfield player got the only extra-base hit of the game with a triple that scored the second run for the visitors.
Allie Rauccio singled with one out in the sixth inning for Wilton's second hit of the game, but she was doubled off on a line drive to the Bobcat first baseman.
"Overall, we played solid defense, but we still made errors on plays we should have made," said Wilton head coach Brian Jacobs. "We are a lot further along after the first game this year then we were last year. We just have to continue to get better.
"We need to be a little bit more aggressive at the plate and stop looking at too many pitches. If we don’t get hits in a game that’s a pitchers' duel, but we hit the ball hard right at someone, I’m OK with that."