Sports
DeMaio Leads Blue Wave Softball To FCIAC Quarterfinal Win
She tosses a four-hitter in a 5-1 win over Fairfield Warde.
Sophomore ace Jessica DeMaio allowed only one run and four hits, as No. 4 seed Darien defeated No. 5 Fairfield-Warde, 5-1, Monday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the FCIAC softball tournament.
The Blue Wave (17-4) will face undefeated (and top-seeded) Westhill in the semifinals at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. The Vikings advanced with an 8-0 win over No. 8.
The top four seeds all reached the semifinals,s as No. 2 St. Joseph takes on No. 3 Trumbull in Tuesday's first semifinal.
Find out what's happening in Darienfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
DeMaio went right to work in the top of the first, quickly retiring the side in order.
In the bottom of the first, the Blue Wave loaded the bases with no outs. Cleanup hitter Kelly Fahey drove in Olivia "Godzilla" Gozdz with and RBI single. DeMaio then helped her cause by driving in Nicole Buch for a 2-0 Darien lead.
Find out what's happening in Darienfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Warde's Gina Treglia escaped further hurt, retiring the next two batters to end the inning.
DeMaio continued to dominate, while Treglia settled into a groove before the Blue Wave struck again in the fourth .
Emily Monsentello started the rally with a double and then scored on Gozdz's RBI single. Gozdz, meanwhile, advanced to second base during the throw home and moved to third on a passed ball.
Treglia buckled down to strike out the next hitters, but Fahey delivered again with an RBI double to make it 4-0. Treglia could not stop the bleeding, as DeMaio produced her second RBI of the game to give the Blue Wave a five-run cushion.
In the very next inning, DeMaio seemed to show some fatigue, loading up the bases with two walks and an infield hit with no outs.
She appeared to get out of the inning unscatched after Treglia grounded out. However, as the Blue Wave raced toward the dugout, the umpires ruled first baseman Fahey did not have possession of the ball long enough to constitute an out.
After a short argument between Darien coach Nick DeMaio and the umps, Treglia was called safe, giving Warde (16-5) its first—and only—run of the contest.
Jessica DeMaio struck out the side in the seventh, then retired Treglia on a popup in the seventh to end it.
