By Michael Letendre 

WOODBURY – There weren’t many upsets in the first round of the CIAC Class L girls softball field on Tuesday. 

That is except for a certain program from Bristol that seemingly loves to cause havoc in the bracket, year in and year out. 

And the No. 22 rated Lancers continued to be the team no one wants to play in the postseason, holding off No. 11 Nonnewaug by a 6-5 final from Woodbury. 

It was the 12th win of the campaign for the Kingstreeters (12-9 overall) as the team made huge plays late to stave off elimination. 

With the decision hanging in the balance in the bottom of the seventh in a 6-5 game and two outs on the board, Class L All-Stater Emily Valentine threw out the tying runner at the plate to end the game in style.  

It was a big time play by the sophomore (Valentine will be competing in the first Annual Sophomore All-Star game in Storrs after the completion of the tournament), helping the Eastern squad move on into the second round. 

Before that game-saving effort, Eastern catcher Sarah Lacouture threw out a runner attempting to steal third base as the Lancers simply made big play after big play. 

Offensively, Lacouture (2-for-3, double, RBI), Hailey Beebe (two RBI) and Jazmyn Browne all tallied big two-out hits for the Lancers. 

Kayla Webber, Makayla Antunes and Ashley Serafin all zipped up hits for the winning program. 

Madi Charette scored two runs while Gracie Browne added a steal to Eastern’s offensive effort. 

Serafin earned the victory for Eastern over another complete game effort. 

She allowed just three earned runs, 10 hits, walked just two and fanned three to tally the win. 

The Chiefs’ Allysa Calabrese went 3-of-4 at the plate but the home team could not notch a final couple runs to topple the Lancers. 

This contest went back and forth from the start as the Class L rankings were immediately tossed out the window. 

Nonnewaug scored two runs in the first inning but Eastern responded with three in the top of the third to snare a 3-2 edge. 

It was 3-3 through three, 4-4 after four before the visiting aggression notched single runs in both the fifth and sixth stanzas to snare a 6-4 lead. 

Nonnewaug scored a late run in the sixth but just couldn’t get one more run across, thanks in part to excellent Eastern defense in the seventh, to fall by a single run in the end. 

Eastern will be back in action on Wednesday in second round competition against another highly ranked foe. 

The Lancers travel to Vernon to square off against No. 6 Rockville – the former high school of BE’s own John Stavens. 

Game time is set for 4 p.m.   

Bristol Eastern Softball – Class L First Round Action 

No. 22 BRISTOL EASTERN 6, No. 11 NONNEWAUG 5 

from Woodbury 

Bristol Eastern (12-9)           003 111 0 – 6 7 4 

Nonnewaug (14-7)                 201 101 0 – 5 10 3 

WP – Ashley Serafin (Bristol Eastern); LP – Madelynn Orosz (Nonnewaug)

Bristol Eastern Hitting 

2B – Sarah Lacouture 

3B – None 

HR – None 

Nonnewaug Hitting 

2B – Allysa Calabrese, Madison Ocasio 

3B – None 

HR – None 

Records: Bristol Eastern 12-9 overall; Nonnewaug 14-7.