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06/02/2024 10:13 PMThe North Branford softball team dominated its league competition during the regular season. So it comes as little shock with the dust having settled on the Shoreline Conference Tournament that the Thunderbirds have continued their uninterrupted near decade long stay at the top.
After another impressive regular season mark of 17 wins against only three losses, the reigning Shoreline Conference champion T-Birds began the league tournament as the top seed in the draw. North Branford first made quick work of eighth-seeded Cromwell with a 15-3 shellacking in the quarterfinals before moving past No. 5 Coginchaug with a 7-1 triumph in the semifinals.
In the championship game, the Thunderbirds squared off with second-seeded Old Lyme on May 25 at The Morgan School. The Thunderbirds certainly did not disappoint in the championship clash with a dominant 10-1 victory. The win gave the program an impressive ninth-consecutive conference crown. Even more spectacular, North Branford played through the entire regular season slate and league tournament without taking a single defeat in the conference.
“It's pretty surreal. Nine championships in a row is something out of a story book. If you told me that we would win nine in a row back in 2015, I wouldn't believe you,” said Head Coach Nick DeLizio. “This group of girls just picked up where we left off every year and stepped up to the occasion. Nothing is guaranteed, and every year each team begins 0-0, and then once the tournament begins, we are back to being 0-0. It gets harder and harder each year because every team in the Shoreline Conference puts the target on our back and they are sick of us winning. This not only motivates the girls, but it also motivates me as a coach to focus on improving myself, so I can help these girls play to the best of their ability and be ready for anything that may come their way.”
Senior Kiley Mullins was superb in the circle, completing a one-hit performance with 14 strikeouts in a complete game gem. She also did it with the bat–driving in a pair of runs. She explained that the girls showed what the squad can truly accomplish as a dominant force dialed up to 10.
“This was a really exciting win for our team because it reminded us that when we show up locked in as we joke about, we can perform very well together,” said Mullins. “It was definitely the confidence booster we needed going into the state tournament. From the beginning of the season, we have been looking forward to the postseason tournaments. And to be able to take it for the ninth straight year is an awesome feat for the program and for the community as a whole.”
The Thunderbirds set the pace early with an impressive small ball showing. North Branford went ahead 3-0 after a frame without having the ball crawl past the dirt and laying down a bunt. Junior Lexi Falcioni led off with a walk. Then, Mullins laid down a sac bunt that led to a throwing error, causing Falcioni to get to third. Mullins then advanced to second base because nobody was covering the bag. Falcioni scored on a passed ball during senior Natalia Lucibello’s at-bat, and courtesy runner and freshman Sam Johnson advanced to third base. Lucibello hit a slow grounder to the third baseman, and the throw home wasn’t in time, resulting in a fielder's choice RBI.
Next, senior Lindsey Onofrio walked, then sophomore Lauren Vitarisi grounded out to the second baseman, which advanced the runners to second and third. Then, junior Adriana Hills’ squeeze-bunt single led to Lucibello scoring.
The T-Birds then added another tally in the second inning before really ripping the game open via a five-run third inning. After a lead-off double by Falcioni to start the second inning, an RBI single by Mullins extended the North Branford lead to 4-0.
The Thunderbirds scored five runs on three hits in the bottom of the third. Junior Lily Ardito drew a walk, scoring one run, Lucibello walked, Onofrio doubled, scoring two runs, and Vitarisi singled, scoring one run.
Notching RBIs on the afternoon for the T-Birds were Onofrio (with two), Lucibello, Hills, and Vitarisi.
Lucibello was named Shoreline Conference Player of the Year and made First Team All-Shoreline, along with Mullins, Falcioni, Onofrio, and Vitarisi. Making the Second Team were Hills, senior Gabi Senerchia, and Lily Ardito, with freshman Alia Martone being an Honorable Mention.
“Winning Shorelines is a huge accomplishment, especially for four years in a row I have been here,” said Onofrio. “We have worked so hard in the offseason and during the season to get to where we are. Everyone left anything they had out on the field and pulled though to pull off this huge accomplishment.”
After a first-round bye as the No. 4 seed in the Class S State Tournament, North Branford hosted No. 13 Norwich Tech in the second round on May 30 and prevailed in a 22-0 rout. Home the next day to No. 12 St. Paul Catholic, the Thunderbirds saw their incredible year come to a close with a 3-1 loss at 21-4 overall.
“The girls have tournament experience, momentum on their side, and a motivation like no other. They have been working hard each and every day, and they have shown resilience throughout the entire season,” said DeLizio. “This is a special group of girls, and I would love nothing else more than to see them accomplish their goals. I consistently tell the girls that I love coaching them. Whether it be in the school or on that field, I go out of my way to make the experience of playing for this program special for them individually.”
The 2024 North Branford softball team roster is comprised of seniors Mullins, Onofrio, Lucibello, Gianna Fico, Senerchia; juniors Hills, Mary Brown, Christina Aneiro, Gabriella Bigio, Emilyn Nay, Falcioni, Ardito; sophomores of Vitarisi, Madison DiStefano, Ava Ryszczyk, Alexa Snedeker, Sofia Ludington, Skylar Gage, Ashley Berardesca; and freshmen Martone and Johnson.
DeLizio is assisted in the dugout this year by four-year staff veterans in Morgan Onofrio and Sabrina LeMere, plus Chris Drexler back for his second season.
2024 North Branford Softball Team Regular Season Results
March 30: North Branford 5, Berlin 0
April 1: North Branford 24, Morgan 8
April 8: North Branford 16, Cromwell 0
April 9: North Branford 23, Portland 0
April 10: North Branford 29, Valley Regional 6
April 16: North Branford 1, Coginchaug 0
April 17: North Branford 11, Haddam-Killingworth 1
April 22: North Branford 3, Hale-Ray 1
April 23: North Branford 9, Old Saybrook-Westbrook 0
April 25: Ellington 4, North Branford 3
April 27: Masuk 7, North Branford 4
April 29: North Branford 24, Morgan 0
May 1: North Branford 14, Haddam-Killingworth 0
May 2: North Branford 4, Old Lyme 0
May 3: North Branford 16, East Hampton 4
May 7: North Branford 18, Cromwell 2
May 8: North Branford 22, Valley Regional 0
May 9: North Branford 11, East Haven 2
May 11: Norwich Free Academy 4, North Branford 1
May 13: North Branford 17, East Hampton 0