Girls’ Softball Loses to Career

Last year the Branford Hornets softball team had an easy time playing against the ​‘city’ teams with wins over Wilbur Cross, West Haven and Career in the tough Southern Connecticut Conference. In fact the Hornets victories over Career were lopsided, with scores of 15 – 0 and 17 – 0.

This year the Panthers have improved, defeating the Hornets 10 – 1 last week in a home game at the James L. MacVeigh Athletic Complex.

“So far the season has been a learning process as we look for a combination of pitching, hitting and defense,” said coach Chuck Reale. ​“We returned one player to her actual position, Ariel Hansen, in centerfield. The rest of the players are working in new spots”. 
 
Career didn’t take long to score getting two runs in the first inning. They scored five more in the fourth and three in the sixth.

Branford’s lone run came in the bottom of the sixth but by then the game was out of reach. Career collected ten hits including four doubles in the game to just five singles for the Hornets.

Freshman Sophia Araneo pitched for the Lady Hornets. Career outhit Branford but four Hornet errors didn’t help matters in the loss.

And freshman Kaitlyn Kaczor makes contact for a hit.

Here third baseman Marissa Minore gets ready to tag the runner getting back to third base.

Co-captain Matilda Kreider has to go up the line for the ball as a Career runner scores

Branford’s hits were by Katie Massey, Shannon Healy, Olivia Datre, Kaitlyn Kaczor and Hansen.

Coach Reale also welcomed the return of assistants Lindsey Wasserman and John Kustra to the coaching staff as well as adding Alicia Loesche to work with the JV program.

The young Hornets took a little revenge out the following game, getting their first win of the season 38 – 5 over the struggling Wilbur Cross Governors.

Here the Coach poses with his co-captains.

And here is this year’s team.

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