Top-seeded Seymour had just one hit on June 14 against No. 7 East Haven in the Class M State Championship game, but made the most of its opportunities to win its ninth state title by a 2-0 score.

Defense was the story as two costly Yellowjacket errors helped in Seymour using small ball to manufacture both its runs.

It started in the first inning when leadoff hitter Katie Petroski popped one up behind third base. East Haven shortstop Allie Luzzi and left fielder Kara Hanson’s miscommunication resulted in a collision and dropped ball, putting Petroski on second base. After a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout, Makayla O’Hara’s line drive to right field brought home the game’s first run.

“They should’ve never scored that run,” Head Coach Ed Crisafi said. “That fly ball to left should’ve been caught by one of them. We would’ve had a 1-2-3 inning.”

It was more of the same in the third inning. Starting pitcher Talia Loda walked Petroski, but when Shari Minalga went to sacrifice her over to second, Loda’s throw to first sailed over the head of Alyssa Apuzzo covering first and Seymour had runners on second and third.

Seymour’s pitcher Raeanne Geffert executed a suicide squeeze to drive in Petroski to give the Wildcats their second run.

“That should’ve never happened,” Crisafi said. “On the sacrifice, we should’ve had the out at first, the girl would’ve been on second with two outs and the next girl would’ve made an out.”

Offensively, East Haven wasn’t any better as they had just four girls on base throughout the game. Luzzi led off the game with a single to left field, but was stranded on third base by Jenna Gaudioso. Laura Anderson reached on an error by the shortstop, but got as far as second base.

Apuzzo was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, but was called out trying to swipe third on a questionable call. McKenzie Miessau hit a grounder to the pitcher, who looked back Apuzzo on second base before gunning Miessau out at first. Apuzzo, however, darted to third on the throw and was thrown out. She looked to beat the throw and Crisafi argued, but in the end it was an inning-ending double play.

East Haven’s last hit came with two outs in the top of the seventh inning. Miessau ripped a double into the right-center field gap. The team could not get the big hit though, as Giovanna Russo grounded out to short to end the game.

“They played tough defense all year and we hit when we needed to. We just couldn’t come through today,” said Loda of the squad’s effort. “It’s tough to handle, but I’m just so proud of everybody. I couldn’t have made it this far without them.”

Her catcher, Miessau, was proud of the way she pitched, allowing the one hit.

“She did her best,” Miessau said. “All season she’s done everything she could to hold the team up and today she did just as good it’s just that the luck wasn’t in our favor.”

After the game, Crisafi gave the group an important message regarding how they left it out on the field.

“Look at the scoreboard. We should still be playing,” he said. “After that first inning hit, they did absolutely nothing.”

The run to the Class M Tournament final seemed improbable after a rough start to the season for the Easties, but they battled all throughout the year. Crisafi, though, would’ve liked to have taken it all.

“That was our motto. We started out 5-4 and people doubted us, but then we won 15 out of 16 to get here,” he said. “Once you get here, you want to win it. This isn’t good enough.”