Lajoie fans 18 as Rams Halt Losing Streak

The Rockville High School softball team snapped its two-game losing streaking with a 2-0 win against E.O. Smith at home on Wednesday afternoon. 

Starting pitcher, Kaitlyn Lajoie, threw a complete game to get the shutout win while striking out 18 batters.

It was E.O. Smith's first loss of the season.

Emily Burg had two RBIs for the Rams to score Rockville’s only runs.  In the first inning, leadoff batter Brianna Levick hit a triple deep into the outfield.  Levick would eventually score on Burg’s double to open up the scoring.

In a classic defensive game, runs were very hard to come by.  Lajoie walked two and only allowed four hits.  The Rams offense wasn’t able to capitalize however which kept the game close.  The Rams had a total of seven hits with contributions coming from Chrissy Pettengill and Elissa Graf who had two hits each.

With the Rams leading 1-0 in the top of the sixth, E.O. Smith was threatening with runners on first and second and only one out.  But Lajoie worked her magic and struck out the next two batters to end the only threat the Panthers would give the Rockville all game. 

In the bottom of the sixth the Rams would reward Lajoie with an insurance run when Burg drive in her second run.

Pinch runner Megan Gardiner stole two bases on the day with one of them coming in the important bottom of the sixth inning.  The Rams had a total of four stolen bases as a team.

Lajoie started off the game with six strikeouts in the first two innings and never looked back.

Rockville improved to 4-3. The Rams' next game is at Bloomfield on Monday at 3:45 p.m.

The Panthers, 4-1, will play at home against Ledyard on Thursday at 4 p.m.