UPDATES
Softball: Tuesday was a day of upsets in the FCIAC girls softball playoffs as No. 2 seed Darien was the only higher seed to win — and only then after eight innings.
In the end, the Blue Wave squeaked past no. 7 Fairfield Warde, 5-4, scoring the winning run on a wild pitch.
Find out what's happening in Darienwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Top seed Westhill, which went 20-0 in the regular season, was stunned by No. 8 Fairfield Ludlowe, 1-0, while No. 6 Stamford defeated No. 3 St. Joseph, 9-2, and No. 5 Danbury got past No. 4 New Canaan, 4-1.
In Darien, Courtney Bell's RBI double gave the Blue Wave a 1-0 lead in the first. In the third, the Blue Wave extended their lead to 3-0 on Nicole Buch's RBI single and Olivia Gozdz's sacrifice fly.
Find out what's happening in Darienwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Jess DeMaio blanked Warde for five innings, but the Mustags put together six hits in the sixth and scored four runs to take a 4-3 lead. Darien tied it in the bottom half on Kelly Fahey's RBI single to shallow left field.
Gozdz walked to start the bottom of the eighth. Bell bunted down the third-base line on a sacrifice, but no one covered third, allowing Gozdz to move up an extra base. She then scored when a pitch sailed past the catcher.
In the semifinals on Thursday at Fairfield University, Darien faces Stamford and Ludlowe takes on Danbury.
Phoenix Basketball U-12 AAU: The Phoenix Basketball U-12 AAU team captured the Kingz of Court Championship in New Haven on Sunday. The team is composed of all-star travel basketball players from local Fairfield County Basketball League winter travel teams.
Earlier this spring, Phoenix won tournament championships at the Hooperstown Classic in Mount Vernon, N.Y., and the Tip Off Classic in Brewster, N.Y. It was runner-up in the Grassroots Challenge hosted at the Connecticut Sports Arena in New Milford, losing 40-36 in the finals to an undefeated Rockland, N.Y., team. It also finished second in the Minuteman Tournament in the Bronx.
Over the course of the spring the team has won 17 games, beating teams from New York City, Long Island, New Jersey and Massachusetts, and Connecticut teams from Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport.
The team's strength is its extraordinary depth of talent, which allows it to play both an aggressive, pressure-style of defense and an aggressive, up-tempo, transition offense.
Playing the center position for the Phoenix is Alex Preston (Darien) and Ryan Allen (Norwalk). Power forwards are Ralph Manigat (Norwalk), Charlie Wright (Darien), James Crovatto (New Canaan) and Thomas Tomalakis (Westport).
The swingmen are Jack Williams (Wilton), Charlie Sealy (Darien), Mack Mueller (Westport) and Zak Swetye (Darien). Shooting guards are Tyler Sweeney (New Canaan) and Carter Scott (Darien).
The floor generals are Miles McQuillen (Norwalk) and Jackson Ryan (Darien). The team is coached by Greens Farms Academy's boys varsity coach Doug Scott.
Next weekend, the team returns to New Haven to compete in the Memorial Day Showcase.
Darien Youth Baseball and Softball:
- LL Baseball > Minor League > National: Gardeners Center 1, Vernals BP 0 (Sunday)
- LL Baseball > Minor League > American: Daigle & Travers Insurance 15, Gardeners Center 4 (Monday)
- LL Baseball > Minor League > American: The Nielsens Florist and Fox Hill Builders played to a 7-7 tie on Saturday. After falling behind early, Nielsens scored all seven runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Matt Stone was 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored for Nielsens while Ryan Darby drove in runs and Robbie Gaaserud added an RBI double. For Fox Hill Builders, Henry Steinthal delivered a two-run single and made a game- saving catch on a diving line drive hit by James Louis to end the contest in a tie.
- Minor League > American: Viking Global defeated Fox Hill Builders 11-4 Monday night. Nicky Briganti, Tyler Aponte, Nick Pope, Brett Gillick and Luke Berkowitz pitched well for Viking Global. Tyler Aponte drove in four runs and Robbie Dolcetti scored twice.
TUESDAY'S RESULTS
- Softball: Darien 5, Fairfield Warde 4 (8) (FCIAC quarterfinals)
- Boys lacrosse: Darien 9, Wilton 6 — The Blue Wave will face Ridgefield in Friday's championship game at McMahon (7 p.m.)
WEDNESDAY'S SCHEDULE
- Softball: Norwich Free Academy at Darien, 4 p.m
- Boys volleyball: Darien vs. Bridgeport Central (at Fairfield Ludlowe), 7 p.m.
STANDINGS
* = clinched playoff spot
- Baseball
8-10 8-12 Fairfield Ludlowe 8-10 8-12 Stamford 6-12 8-12 Harding 1-16 2-18 East Division FCIAC Record Overall Record St. Joseph* 16-2 18-2 New Canaan*
12-5 13-6 Fairfield Warde*
11-7 12-8 Wilton 11-7 13-7 Trinity Catholic 9-9 9-11 Darien 9-9 10-10 Bassick 0-17 0-19
- Softball
10-8 10-10 Trinity Catholic 4-14 4-16 Bassick 1-17 1-17
- Boys Lacrosse
8-3 12-5 Wilton* 7-3 12-5 Fairfield Ludlowe* 5-6 9-7 St. Joseph 4-6 8-8 Norwalk 1-8 7-8 Fairfield Warde 0-10 1-14
- Girls Lacrosse
The Daily Sports Digest is designed for you to add your best photos and/or videos to share (instructions here). If you see anything in our scores, standings, or schedules that requires updating, please e-mail sports editor Bob Birge at bob.birge@hotmail.com
