Naugy Bats Come Alive Led by Gillian Fortier

Coming into the season the Naugatuck softball team had to replace six bats in the lineup due to graduation last year. In the season opener Naugatuck pounded out an 8-1 win over Derby led by Lianne Wallace who ripped a grand slam home run.

Then the bats fell silent. The Lady Greyhounds dropped three straight games getting out hit 22-12 and out scored by a 16-2 margin. The season was quickly spinning out of control.

The one constant was the bat of Gillian Fortier who hit in every game and produced the only two runs Naugatuck was able to put on the scoreboard.

On Thursday, Fortier went 3 for 3 at the plate with an incredible two home runs during a game against Holy Cross and a triple good for 3 runs and 4 RBI's. Naugatuck, which is at 4-3 the season, defeated unbeaten (7-0) Holy Cross by a 6-0 Final score.

Last week Naugatuck blew the lid off winning three in a row as they out scored their opponents by a whooping 48-19 margin. They took it to Crosby 20-4, came back four times against Wolcott including a last at bat four run rally to escape with a 14-13 nail biter and on Monday they blasted Sacred Heart by a 14-2 count.

What has led to this resurgence in the offense can be traced back to the consistent bat of Fortier. The young freshman third baseman isn’t the only one wielding a hot bat as of late but she has been a model of consistency since she took over the third sack job.

Following an 11-1 loss to Watertown the Greyhounds needed a spark in the lineup and Fortier stepped it up with two hits, 3 RBI and 4 runs scored to lead the onslaught over Crosby.

Winning pitcher Alexa Marucci belted a home run and drove in 5 runs. Daniella Stoehrer had 3 hits, 3 runs with 3 RBI and Lianne Wallace added 2 runs and 2 RBI in the assault on the Lady Bulldogs.

“We made some adjustments as to where some of the girls were standing in the batters box,” explained Naugatuck head coach Kevin Wesche. “Some of the hitting mechanics had to be tweaked. Mostly it was all from the neck up going in their with the right attitude.”

“They adjusted well to that once they started to focus on putting the ball in play and stop worrying about the strike zone of the umpire.”

The signature game of the three game winning streaks came in the following game when undefeated 4-0 Wolcott showed up in Naugatuck. The Greyhounds were not to be denied as they battled back from deficits four times in that game including a four run last at bat rally to escape with a 14-13 win.

Naugatuck pounded out three home runs with Fortier leading the way going 4-for-4 at the plate with a home run. Stoehrer had three hits and drove in the game-winning run, Wallace cranked a home run adding three hits and Melissa Kirschbaum belted a home run.

“To be able to bounce back they way they have I’m very impressed with their attitude and I hope it continues,” added Wesche. “Gillian has been playing a lot of high quality intense ball for many years coming up through the ranks of travel leagues.”

 “Even some of the other kids were talking about when Gillian comes up to the high school level what that would mean to our lineup. She has a lot of confidence and a big zone that she can hit through. That same philosophy has gone right through our lineup.”

On Monday Naugatuck made it three in a row improving to 4-3 on the season with a 14-2 win over Sacred Heart. Once again Fortier left her mark with 2 hits, 2 runs, 2 RBI and a home run that Sacred Heart is still chasing after according to coach Wesche.

Wallace had a perfect day at the plate with 4 hits, 4 runs, 4 RBI and a home run and Kirschbaum added 2 hits, 2 runs, 2 RBI unloading a triple.

“I think we are starting to focus more as a team,” said Fortier. “We knew we were a better team than our record. We just had to start swinging at pitches in the zone. If felt so good seeing the ball go over the fence for my first home run on the varsity team against Wolcott.”

She added, “I’m starting to see the ball better and making more solid contact. I think my fielding is coming along. I’m use to playing first base for my travel team the Connecticut Eliminators. I think the experience of playing travel ball has really helped me a lot to prepare for playing high school ball.”

The Greyhounds will need to continue to swing the hot bat with undefeated Holy Cross and Woodland coming up on the schedule.