Norwalk, CT — Momentum is a heck of a thing. Riding high after an upset over No. 9 Amity Regional in the First Round, No. 24 Norwalk came out swinging in the Second Round against No. 25 New Canaan on Wednesday. The Bears scored four in the first before relying on pitching and defense, beating the Rams 5-3 to advance to Saturday’s CIAC Class LL Quarterfinals Saturday against No. 17 Ridgefield. “This is a special group,” Norwalk coach Ryan Mitchell said. “Technically this is my second year, but this is my first season. These guys are special to me for that alone, but having them buy in to what we are doing and how we approach practices and games every day is really special. They are fighters and they come to compete. We are happy to be one of the last eight.” At first it was New Canaan, which upset No. 8 Staples in the First Round, coming out hot scoring twice in the top of the first. A bloop single dropped in behind first and an error by the shortstop got the first two batters on base for the Rams. Then with two outs on a 2-2 pitch, Jack O’Donnell hit a double to right-centerfield, scoring both runners and putting New Canaan up 2-0. Norwalk would answer right back with four in the bottom of the first, aided by an error and three bases on balls. Eddy Garabito started things off with a double down the left-field line, eventually coming in to score the Bears’ first run on a bases-loaded walk. Ben Boccanfuso and Vance Ward would single in runs as Norwalk batted around in the first inning and led 4-2 after one. “It’s been our Achilles’ Heel all season, pitchers not transitioning from the bullpen to the mound and not having control early,” New Canaan coach Anthony Bloss said. “For whatever reason, when we walk from there to there, we struggle with control, with location and with confidence. Our first innings this year have been a struggle and today, he couldn’t find the plate.” Norwalk would add a run in the second on an opposite-field solo home run to left by Garabito. New Canaan did not allow the Bears another hit in the game with relief pitcher Joey Sinatra keeping the Rams in the game with four clean innings pitched. With the lead, Norwalk pitcher Brendan Edvardsen settled in, not allowing another run until the fifth when he was finally lifted from the game. “Brendan Edvardsen made the All-Conference team because his batting average is through the roof, but he comes in today and throws strikes. That’s all you need, you have to challenge hitters,” Mitchell said. “Brendan challenged hitters today. We booted some balls in the first inning and he put his head down said ‘that’s not on me’ and continued to pound the zone. I can’t say enough about him. He’s just a business man. It’s all business with Brendan and he was fantastic today.” New Canaan would threaten for more, loading the bases in the fifth, but reliever Javier Gonzalez would end the threat, getting the final man to fly out to center. PLAYER OF THE GAME Brendan Edvardsen, Norwalk: The senior, playing his last home game for the Bears, struck out three and only allowed three hits in four-plus innings pitched. QUOTABLE “It feels great, we have been working for this all year. We have been grinding, practicing because this is where we wanted to get to,” Edvardsen said. “I just stayed within myself, threw strikes and hit my spots. I had a lot of support out there. It was a rough first inning… but we got the lead back right away. It felt great.” NORWALK 5, NEW CANAAN 3 NEW CANAAN 200 010 0—3 4 2 NORWALK 410 000 0—5 4 1 Batteries: N—Brendan Edvardsen (W), Javier Gonzalez (5) and Jaden Echevarria and Philip Nora; NC—Matt Balkun (L), Joey Sinatra (3) and Zach Ramppen