H.S. softball roundup: Wheeler wins first state tourney game since 1991

North Stonington - Summer Cipriani pitched a five-inning no-hitter and the No. 16 Wheeler High School softball team advanced to the second round of the Class S state tournament with a 15-0 win over No. 17 Abbott Tech of Danbury.

The Lions (13-8) play at top-seeded Cheney Tech of Manchester (18-2) today at 4 p.m. It was Wheeler's first victory in the state tournament since 1991.

Cipriani struck out 12, walked one and didn't allow a runner past second base.

Kaitlin Banks had two hits and four RBI for Wheeler and Julie Wanstall had two hits and two RBI.

In other games:

• Ally Curioso with 2-for-2 with four RBI and No. 8 Stonington advanced to the second round of the Class M tournament with a 16-0 win over No. 25 Plainfield.

Katie Headley had two doubles and four RBI and Theresa Kane was the winning pitcher for the Bears (20-4), who play host to No. 9 St. Joseph of Trumbull today.

• Kiely Smith went 3-for-3 with two RBI and scored four runs as No. 20 St. Bernard beat No. 13 Platt Tech 14-3 in the Class S first round.

Rivkah Berkman pitched a four-hitter with 13 strikeouts and no walks, allowing only one earned run, for the victory. Tara Kowalski (two RBI) and Shoshona Berkman had two hits each for St. Bernard (12-9), which plays host to No. 29 Trinity Catholic of Stamford in today's second round.

• Kirsten Drobiak pitched a two-hitter and No. 11 Griswold advanced in Class M with a 3-1 win over No. 22 Wolcott. Drobiak hit a two-out, RBI double in the fifth for the Wolverines (19-4), who play at No. 6 Oxford today.

• Makaila Kowalsky went 4-for-4 with two RBI to lead No. 11 Bacon Academy to a 6-4 win over No. 22 Fermi in Class L.

Samantha Psanis (triple, two runs scored) and Alison Lindsey had two hits each for Bacon (15-7). Heather Norris (10-2) pitched an eight-hitter for the victory.

Bacon is at No. 6 Fitch today in the second round.

• Emily Vigue pitched a two-hit shutout and No. 10 Lyman Memorial advanced in Class S with a 1-0 win over No. 23 Thomaston.

Becca Novotny scored Lyman's run in the second inning by stealing second, moving to third on a bunt and scoring on an error. Lyman (15-7) plays host to No. 26 East Hampton today.

• No. 18 Holy Family advanced to the Class S second round with an 11-6 win over No. 15 Kaynor Tech in Waterbury. The Marists visit No. 4 Coginchaug in today's second round.

• Kristyn Cullen's grand slam highlighted a five-run third inning that lifted No. 15 North Haven past No. 18 East Lyme 6-1 in the Class L first round. The Vikings, who finished 11-10, scored in the third inning on an RBI double by Madison Horner.

• Savannah Johnson score the lone run for No. 16 Ledyard during its 7-1 loss to No. 17 E.O. Smith of Storrs in Class M. Ledyard finished 12-10.

• No. 1 Southington scored nine runs in the fifth inning and eliminated No. 32 Norwich Free Academy, 14-0, in Class LL. Emily DeVito doubled for NFA (9-13) which committed five errors.

• No. 8 Canton eliminated No. 25 Old Saybrook, 5-3. Alexis Trabucchi had two hits and a run scored for the Rams (11-12).