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It took a perfect throw and perfect tag for the New Canaan High School softball team to beat Darien for the first time since 2007. With the Rams clinging to a one-run lead in the bottom of the sixth Tuesday, Blue Wave catcher Olivia Gozdz cranked a double to center.
In a flawless relay, New Canaan centerfielder Lindsey Schmid connected with second baseman Courtney Rodgers, who in turn fired it home to catcher Jordan Ventura. Darien's Jessica DeMaio, trying to score from first, was tagged out on her head by a lunging Ventura. The stellar defensive play preserved a 5-4 lead for the Rams.
"All I was thinking was 'two hands!' I just had to hold onto the ball," Jordan Ventura said. "I couldn't have done it without that perfect throw from center."
The drama was not over, however. New Canaan still had to survive an error, a beaten throw and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh. But Rams starting pitcher Cydney Ventura struck out Darien's Emily Blozio to cap her complete game effort and lift New Canaan to victory over its archrival.
After a quiet first two innings, both offenses exploded in the third. Jordan Ventura ripped a two-run double to left giving New Canaan its first lead of the day. Five pitches later, Schmid launched a bomb over the centerfield wall to stake out a 4-0 lead.
Darien came right back in the bottom of the inning thanks to two New Canaan errors. The Blue Wave was never able to pull even with the Rams as Jordan Ventura laced a single in the top of the fifth to give New Canaan a crucial insurance run.
"This is a really big win. I'm a senior and this is the first time we've beaten them since I've been here," Schmid said. "This is a stepping stone for the rest of the season. It was a real team effort today."
New Canaan took advantage of the few opportunities they got, collecting just five hits on the afternoon. Darien could not do the same, leaving 11 runners on base.
New Canaan (3-0) wraps up a three-game road trip Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Norwalk (2-1).
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