East Hampton — The Waterford Senior League softball team is a pretty tight bunch. The players wear red sequined headbands, courtesy of Danielle Annibalini's mom, and some spray their hair red and blue.

Alyssa Hancock is good with the headband, but not the colored hair.

"I do the tips," Hancock said. "Whatever we do the first game, we do the whole rest of the tournament. We're superstitious."

When Waterford needed a pick-me-up Thursday, Hancock provided it. She went 4-for-4, including a pair of two-run home runs, with four runs and four RBI as Waterford defeated Putnam-Woodstock, 12-4, to win the state title at Seamster Park.

Waterford advances to the Eastern Regional beginning July 30 at Worcester, Mass.

Waterford led 4-0 after one-and-a-half innings when pitcher Kassie Lankerd ran into trouble in the second. She walked five, including four in a row, as Waterford's lead shrank to 4-3.

Waterford's Crissy Turley reached first on an error to lead off the fourth inning and Hancock followed with a home run to left-center, her first of the tournament.

"There were a lot of nerves when Kassie was not pitching her best," Hancock said. "We all had to pick each other up. There were a lot of nerves there, but we all had to pitch in and do what we could."

Megan Duplice added an RBI double that inning to give Waterford a 7-3 lead.

Christine Hadfield doubled to lead off the Waterford fifth and scored on Caiti O'Loughlin's single. Hancock followed with a two-run shot to deep centerfield to push Waterford ahead, 10-3.

"These girls pick each other up no matter what," Waterford manager Lori Sykora said. "We've got a lot of good bats and they're confident. They'll stay behind their pitcher and they give her what we need."

Kate Sykora had two hits, including an RBI triple, with two runs and two RBI for Waterford. Jess Ryder added two doubles and a run.

Hancock, a Day All-Area third basemen for the CIAC Class L champion Waterford High School softball team, led off the game with a bunt single. Sykora, a Day All-Area shortstop for the Lancers, tripled. She scored on Duplice's fielder's choice.

Hancock singled with two out in the second inning and stole second. Sykora walked, and both scored on an error to give Waterford a 4-0 lead.

Lankerd got in trouble in the bottom of that inning, giving up a single and walking four in succession to force in two runs. She walked six through two innings.

Putnam-Woodstock cut the deficit to 4-3 before the inning was over.

Waterford began warming up another pitcher, but Lori Sykora stuck with Lankerd.

Lankerd rewarded her manager's faith by settling down and getting into a groove. She didn't walk another batter and pitched a five-hitter with four strikeouts.

"Kass had this game," Sykora said. "When Kass warms up, Kass does phenomenal. I depend on her. I knew she would get it done.

"You think about a backup, but I knew she would settle down and get it done."