Women's softball teams compete in playoffs and crown the victory with another famous pizza title

For the second year in a row, Famous Pizza of Bethel defeated Castle Hill Chocolate of Newtown in the Newtown-Bethel Women's Softball League championship game, earning a hard-fought 11-9 victory this year in the top game on August 16 at Treadwell Park. This game featured the top two teams out of ten, as Famous Pizza was ranked No. 1 in the standings.

Victoria Berry broke the tie with a home run in the sixth inning and Famous Pizza added another run when Janine Scolpino hit a line drive to center to send in Sarah Bruno before scoring in the seventh inning. There was a double play that tied the game when right center fielder Melissa Spaziani caught a ball for the second out and then, when second baseman Dani Scolpino called for the ball, Spaziani threw out the Castle Hill runner trying to return to second base.

Castle Hill fought back throughout the game. After trailing 1-0 in the third inning, the Chocolate team scored three times. Melina and Sienna Cummings both had important hits. Courtesy runner Jen Timpanelli (who ran on a single for Jessica Halas) put the team ahead 2-1. Leigh Libero followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1.

Famous Pizza scored six runs in the third inning to take a 7-3 lead.

Deanna Forlastro brought home Janine Scolpino and Jenny O'Connor, Maddie McDowell sent home Dani Scolpino, Spaziani had an RBI bringing home Forlastro and McDowell and Kerri Kaylor brought home Spaziani as Famous Pizza extended its lead.

Castle Hill was able to halve the deficit with two runs in the fourth. Izzy Satmary started the round with a single. Cassie Achenbach delivered a booming double and Timpanelli and Denise Brough followed with RBI singles to make it 7-5.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Famous Pizza got the two runs back but had a chance for more that was thwarted by a pair of nice field plays from pitcher Brough. First, she chased an infield roller between the pitcher's circle and third base and dove while throwing to narrowly force out third base. Then came a relay throw from Brough to catcher Timpanelli; in her first game behind the plate, Timpanelli made a nice tag to prevent the run.

It was 9-5 heading into the fifth when Castle Hill scored three times. Halas and Sienna Cummings each hit a single and Libero hit a two-run triple to make the score 9-7. Kathryn Smith brought Libero home with a groundout and the score was 9-8 heading into the fifth.

Castle Hill avoided a pair of hits from Famous Pizza in the inning, with Smith making a diving catch at shortstop to finish the run. The Chocolate team tied the game in the sixth inning. Timpanelli and Brough each had singles and Halas was the decisive player with an RBI single to the opposite field with two outs to make it 9-9.

The playoffs were full of exciting games. Castle Hill had earned a 9-8 walk-off win over The Athlete's Source of Bethel in extra innings the night before. Trailing 8-7 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Castle Hill rallied when Emma Longo hit a single to deep right center for the winning run. In the first round of the playoffs on August 12, Sienna Cummings hit a grand slam in a 20-8 win over Caraluzzi's. In other first round games, Dental Associates beat Forest Construction 12-3 and Athletes Source defeated Mediassociates 9-5. Famous Pizza won on a forfeit by Quality Gem.

Mediassociates was seeded 3rd, followed by Dental Associates (Newtown) 4th, Forest Construction (Newtown) 5th, The Athlete's Source (Bethel) 6th, Caraluzzi's (Bethel) 7th, Quality Gem (Bethel) 8th, Greenwood Features (Bethel) 9th and Better Homes Remodeling (Newtown) 10th. Representatives of all teams played a game for fun after the championship competition.

Sports editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at [email protected].

Sienna Cummings runs to home plate as teammates cheer her on after hitting a grand slam in Castle Hill Chocolate's 20-8 victory over Caraluzzi's in the Newtown-Bethel Women's Softball League playoff game at Treadwell Park on Aug. 12. Castle Hill lost to Famous Pizza 11-9 in the championship game on Aug. 16, also at Treadwell Park. —Bee Photos, Hutchison

Melina Cummings of Castle Hill lands a hit during the title game.

Leigh Libero runs to first base with a hit for Castle Hill.

Emily Longo hits for Castle Hill in the first round of the playoffs.

Castle Hill shortstop Kathryn Smith makes a play in the title game.

Denise Brough, pitcher for Castle Hill, throws home during the championship.

Danielle Sparks of Castle Hill gets ready to swing the bat.

Mediassociates left fielder Alyssa McGuigan throws the ball during a playoff game at Dickinson Park on August 12.

Rabiya Johnston of Mediassociates runs from second base.

Media Associates pitcher Peg Bowers strikes.

Famous Pizza won the deciding game by an 11-9 decision. Pictured are, from left, front: Victoria Berry, Sarah Bruno, Jenny O'Connor, Janine Scolpino, Dani Scolpino and Madeline McDowell; and back: Deanna Forlastro, Jess Scolpino, Kerri Poklemba, Sarah Stunkard, Melissa Spaziani, Becca McLaughlin and Denise Musser. — Photo courtesy of Leigh Libero

Castle Hill Chocolate players have made it to the finals. Pictured are, from left, front: Melina Cummings, Cassie Achenbach, Izzy Satmary and Leigh Libero; and back: Kathryn Smith, Sienna Cummings, Jennifer Timpanelli, Denise Brough, Jess Halas, Emerson Krasnickas, Nikki Fossum and Emily Longo. Not pictured: Skylar Kneski, Danielle Sparks, Jill Wiebke, Shelly Macumber, Emily Litke and Caitlin Briggs. — Photo courtesy of Leigh Libero

Players from several of the Newtown-Bethel league's 10 teams competed in an entertaining game following the championship match. Pictured are Forest Construction players Chrissy Clark and Ella Iszczyszyn, Better Homes Remodeling players Tara Bassett, Nicole Strand, Paige Deitch, Megan Cloutier and Amy Beth Laroche, Castle Hill Chocolate representatives Luke Libero (substitute), Kathryn Smith and Leigh Libero, Athlete's Source players Christina Sperry, Emma Meyhoefer, Christine Bello, Janice Gabriel and Michelle Haber, Dental Associates team members Laura Huling, Chelsea Jayson, Holly Benedetto, Lisa Coates and Diandra Mackey and Mediassociates player Stacey Gordon. — Photo courtesy of Leigh Libero