What a difference four days make.
Less than one week removed from Saturday’s 8-3 loss at the hands of Trumbull High School, the New Canaan Rams softball team turned the tables, upsetting the powerful Eagles 2-0 in a key FCIAC matchup.
New Canaan pitcher Gillian Kane fields a bunt against Trumbull. Credit: Sherrie Fahey
The Rams were led by sophomore pitcher Gillian Kane who went the distance for the shutout, giving up just four hits and striking out four against a potent Trumbull lineup. Junior Molly Keshin also had a huge game for New Canaan, going 2-for-3 with the game’s only two RBI coming on a triple to left-center that missed clearing the fence by inches.
“They played phenomenally well,” New Canaan head coach Danielle Simoneau told NewCanaanite.com. “Gillian by far had her best game this year.”
Kane—who also went 1-for-3 at the plate with a run—consistently stymied the Eagles by mixing speeds and pitch locations, something Simoneau said was the key to her success in the circle.
“That change-up was working today,” Simoneau said. “She’s got great speed, but when that change-up works for her and changes the way the ball looks, it’s deadly.”
Trumbull mounted its biggest threat in the bottom of the first inning as leadoff batter Ali Szabo walked and moved to third on Taylor Brown’s one-out double to left. Kane worked out of trouble by getting cleanup hitter Lea Thompson on a grounder to third for the second out and ended the inning with a strikeout.
“Honestly, we just didn’t execute,” Trumbull head coach Jacqui Sheftz said. “We left runners on base in scoring position early, couldn’t get our bunts down and that’s the ballgame.”
The Eagles wasted a stellar outing by Szabo—one of the top pitchers in the FCIAC—who gave up five hits and struck out 13 Rams. New Canaan broke through against Szabo in the top of the fourth as Kane led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Kara Fahey. Junior Rachel Keshin followed with a single to send Kane to third before twin sister Molly hit her triple, giving the Rams a 2-0 lead that held up as the final score.
Rachel Keshin (1-for-3) and Sophia Welch (1-for-2) also had hits for the Rams who improved to 5-3 overall and 4-1 in the FCIAC. Trumbull fell to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play.
“I hope the girls believe in themselves,” Simoneau said. “Confidence has always been there, teamwork has always been there, the unity is always there. I just hope they take this win and continue it day-by-day.”