Darien Falls To Westhill In FCIAC Softball Semifinals

The Darien High School softball team battled for seven innings but came up just short against an undefeated opponent.

Westhill's Julianne Vincent scored the tie-breaking run in the bottom of the sixth inning on Allison Macari's RBI double down the left-field line, as the No. 1-seeded Vikings edged the Blue Wave, 2-1, Tuesday in the semifinals of the FCIAC softball tournament at Sacred Heart University.

Westhill (22-0) will take on No. 3 Trumbull in Thursday's final. The Golden Eagles advanced with  a 1-0 win over No. 2 St. Joseph in Tuesday's first semifinal.

Darien (17-5) threatened in the seventh, getting a runner to second with no outs, but Emily Blosio lined out, Emma Hamilton flied to center field, and Olivia Gozdz struck out to end the game.

It marked the second straight year that the Blue Wave lost to the Vikings in the semifinals of the FCIAC tournament. Darien now looks forward to a high seed in the state tournament, which begins next week.

Darien also came close to beating Westhill 10 days ago, losing, 1-0, in Stamford.

"You want to play teams like this," Blue Wave coach Nick DeMaio said. "The players will benefit from this experience."

After Vikings starter Jennifer Joseph retired the Blue Wave in order in the top of the first, Westhill grabbed the lead in the bottom of the inning, as Brittany Horn scored on a wild throw attempting to get her at third.

But the Blue Wave pulled even in the fourth. After a dropped pop-up and a sacrifice bunt, Darien starter Jessica DeMaio helped her own cause by cracking a line-drive RBI single.

DeMaio was left stranded at second after Michele Piccano struck out looking to end the inning.

In the fifth, Westhill threatened to break the 1-1 tie, but stranded two runners. Darien, however, was not as fortunate in the sixth.