Rocky Hill’s players took advantage of a number of Bristol errors to even the best of three series at one with a 17-10 win at Volunteer Field. The teams have combined for 50 runs in two games as fans sit on the edge of their seats inning to inning.

"[Our players] put up 23 runs on the board in two games," Bristol coach Karl Nelson said. "They had their chances, but they weren’t getting the clutch hits all the time."

Bristol jumped out to a four-run lead in the top of the first as three of its first four batters singled off Rocky Hill’s Christie Fiori. But Fiori stopped the bleeding with back-to-back strikeouts and the Rocky Hill offense responded.

Rocky Hill scored in four of its five innings, posting a big six runs in the third to take a 14-9 lead. From there, Fiori settled in and closed out the game.

"Christie, that’s the longest she’s pitched [this season]," Rocky Hill coach Jim Fiori said. "Everybody else in the tournament she has mercied. So for her to be able to pitch that long was good."

The younger Fiori struck out nine batters in the game including striking out the side in the first and fifth. Over the last three innings she gave up just one hit while allowing one earned run to complete the game.

Meanwhile, Bristol pitcher Brooke Burns pitched a complete game as well, victimized by a number of costly errors.

Rocky Hill shortstop Emily Thompson made several nice plays in the field and added a big hit to her accomplishments. Thompson’s two-run double in the second allowed her team to retake the lead for the second time of the night, scoring Megan Ruonavaara and Victoria Baxter.

Rocky Hill leadoff batter Erin Weber scored four times, laying down a bunt single and adding two other hits. Ruonavaara also scored four runs while Fiori was 2-for-5 with three driven in. Emily Cintorino was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and Nicole Solleck was 2-for-5 with two runs for Bristol. Alyssa Rivera also crossed the plate three times.

At the end of the night, both coaches kept things in perspective amidst the plethora of runs.

"They came out, played hard and had smiles on their faces," Fiori said.

Nelson felt that the game was simply a payback for his team’s large comeback the night before.

"We’re evening out," Nelson said. "I told them they gotta learn to enjoy themselves. I think they might have been a bit overconfident just like [coach Fiori] told his players yesterday. They got one [earlier in the tournament], we took one last night, and they got us again tonight."

Nelson said that from their first meeting in the opening round, he felt the two teams would meet down the line.

"I said [to Fiori] ‘I’ll see you in the title game,’" Nelson said. "It’s pretty much come down to the two best teams."

Ruonavaara will take the mound for Rocky Hill this afternoon to try to win the series, the final step in the season for these teams. Bristol will hope to regain its form in the field and continue the back and forth pattern the teams have followed thus far.