Walk-off home run propels Danbury softball to 1st state semis since 1987

This time, with the score tied 2-2 in the 12th inning of the quarterfinals against No. 8 West Haven, Drago approached the plate with two on and two out. Drago delivered again, depositing the ball over the center-field fence to send the Hatters into hysteria and into the semifinals for the first time since 1987 with a 5-2 win.

“She has been a Rockstar all year with getting clutch hits,” Danbury coach Erica Carboni said. “Especially in moments like this, to do it two games in a row is pretty incredible. Everyone on our bench was saying if anyone is going to do it, it is going to be Kaylee (Drago), and she sure enough did.”

Drago went 3-for-6 in the 12-inning marathon, driving in four runs and scoring twice. Catcher Sophie Fenaroli went 3-for-3 with an RBI while Regan Lalor was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two stolen bases.

With Danbury trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Fenaroli cut the West Haven lead in half with a single.

Drago’s first bout of heroism came in the bottom of the seventh with the Hatters still trailing by one run. With two outs, Drago singled to score Lalor and send the game into extra innings.

“Out of the last five or six games we have had, I think this was our best,” Carboni said. “Even though it took us 12 innings, it was a whole team effort offensively. We got some key bunts down, some big steals and some timely hits.”

Danbury ace Haley Pucci pitched all 12 innings, throwing more than 200 pitches while allowing two unearned runs on three hits and nine walks. She had double-digit strikeouts.

“This was really good going into the next game because we have kind of been in a lull with our offense,” Carboni said. “We know the importance of getting on base and stringing stuff together, and even though it took a while to get there we finally did. We know we have the heart and the grit to tough out a comeback and in a long hot game.”

Danbury will face the winner of No. 5 Bristol Central and No. 13 Trumbull for the right to advance to the Class LL state championship game.

“At the beginning of the season I told the girls that this was our chance to get a banner,” Carboni said. “You can talk it all you want, but now that we are here it is like ‘Oh wow, we are right here,’ and we have the momentum to keep going.”

While Danbury will have to wait until either Monday or Tuesday to play again, Carboni is confident the momentum Drago has provided with back-to-back walk-off home runs will carry over.

“I am in awe of what we have been able to accomplish, and I am so proud of all the girls and happy for them,” Carboni said. “We will see where the next game takes us.”