SPORTSIn Girls Softball League, Contest Wide Open: [SUFFOLK Edition]
Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 09 Apr 1987:
Suffolk softball coaches have found that settling on a favoriteis as difficult as camping under a wind-tossed fly ball. But one thing is certain in a season that offers few safe bets: No one will go undefeated in League I.
Through the first week of the league season, all eight teams had 1-1 records. And the standings might stay taut right through May – with five Brookhaven entries among the playoff contenders.
Floyd, Longwood, Patchogue-Medford, Ward Melville and Sachem all could be leading entries in a race. “I think it’s all going to come down to the last two games,” said Floyd coach Tom Ferrigno. “The way it’s going to be determined is pitching.”
Longwood‘s pitcher, senior Melissa Silberman, set a school record with her 29th career victory last Friday. The three-year varsity starter’s control with dropping, rising off-speed pitches helped the Lions (15-3) win the League II title last year. “There, we could always count on a sweep twice a season,” coach Kevin McCarthy said. “Now, we not going to have a couple of easy weeks.” Key players will be Kristine Heller, Laura Chiampou and Rita DiSalvo, he said.
Ward Melville has a new face at the head of the bench. Marv Weitz coached football at Hauppauge for 24 years, served as a football assistant at SUNY-Stony Brook for nine seasons, and has worked as assistant boys basketball coach at Ward Melville for many seasons – but he is a rookie in this league.
“I’m blessed that the previous coaches, Charlie Zboray and Kevin O’Leary, did a good job training these kids,” Weitz said. “The thing left for me is being a cheerleader.” Pitcher Heidi Jerzembeck and teammates April Borella and Barbara Sherman probably will give him the most for which to cheer.
Ferrigno thinks Cathy Pugliese will be as good as any catcher in the league. The Floyd coach added that he can rely on two pitchers, juniors Jenny Engmann and Kim Barnes. Shortstop Dawn Kolkmeyer provides experience in the infield while sophomore Maria Schroeder, who went 4-for-4 in her recent varsity debut, adds offensive flair.
Patchogue-Medford had not been ranked among Suffolk’s top 10 teams in a preseason coaches poll, but Longwood‘s McCarthy became a believer after he saw Patty Seubert strike out 14 batters in a one-hitter against his team. “They’re a playoff caliber team now,” McCarthy said.
Hampton Bays 7, Longwood 6. Hampton Bays scored six runs in the top of the sixth to take a 7-2 lead and held off a Longwood rally in the seventh inning. Heather Solnoki’s two-run double in the sixth gave Hampton Bays a 4-2 lead. Hampton Bays will meet Bellport in the championship game today at 11 a.m. WP – Scott. LP – Silberman. March 28
Patchogue-Medford 1, Longwood 0. Patty Seubert walked, stole second, went to third on a single by Charlene Gentile and scored on a passed ball in the first inning. Seubert also pitched a one-hitter with a school-record 14 strikeouts. The old record was 13 by Diane Edwards in 1983. WP – Seubert. LP – Silberman. April 3
Longwood 4, Patchogue-Medford 3. Rita DiSalvo went 3-for-4 and scored the winning run in the eighth inning on an infield error. WP – Silberman. LP – Seubert. April 4
Patchogue-Medford 12, Longwood 1. Patty Seubert was 3-for-5 and Donna Weiner was 3-for-3 for Patchogue-Medford. WP – Seubert. LP – Silberman. April 8
Connetquot 4, Longwood 3. In the bottom of the seventh, Theresa Buscemi scored the winning run on an error on a ground ball hit by Debbie Bonjourno with two outs. WP – Melchiona. LP – Silverman. April 9
Connetquot 3, Longwood 1. Theresa Buscemi’s bases-loaded double in the top of the seventh broke a 1-1 tie. Winning pitcher Barbara Morgan scattered five hits and struck out seven. WP – Morgan. LP – Saieva. April 11
Sachem 9, Longwood 4. Chris Brady went 3-for-3 with three RBI for Sachem. Brady singled home Hope Titler in the fourth with the game-winning run. WP – Weingartner. LP – Silverman. April 16
Connetquot 5, Longwood 0. Christine Vlahakis (3-1) pitched a no-hitter with three strikeouts and six walks. Gina Polcini hit a two-run double to give Connetquot (7-2) a 2-0 lead in the first inning. WP – Vlahakis. LP – Silberman. April 22
Longwood 15, Brentwood 8. Longwood scored five in the fourth and 10 in the fifth to recover from a 5-0 deficit. Laura Chiampou’s bases-loaded double in the fifth scored three runs and gave Longwood an 8-5 lead. WP – Silberman. LP – Caccavalla. April 23
Lindenhurst 6, Longwood 5. Helen Walsh’s two-run single with two outs in the fifth gave Lindenhurst a 6-3 lead and capped a four-run inning. Chris Skala went 3-for-3 with three runs scored for the winners. WP – Lee. LP – Silberman. May 1
Floyd 6, Longwood 4. Floyd rallied from a 4-2 deficit with a four-run sixth inning. Kelly May’s two-out single tied the game and Cathy Pugliese followed with a two-run single. WP – Engmann. LP – Saiva. May 7
Floyd 6, Longwood 5. Floyd held a 5-4 lead entering the sixth inning and added what proved to be the winning run when Dawn Oppici stole second and scored on two passed balls. WP – Barnes. LP – Saieva. HR – Chiampou (L). May 8
Floyd 4, Longwood 3. Successive singles by Maria Schroeder, Cathy Pugliese and Sue Auditore helped Floyd overcome a 3-2 deficit in the sixth inning. WP – Engmann. LP – Silberman. May 9
Ward Melville 7, Longwood 2. April Borella had a triple and a double with two RBI, and Barbara Sherman added two hits and two RBI for Ward Melville. WP – Jerzembeck. LP – Saieva. May 13
Ward Melville 8, Longwood 3. April Borella had a solo homer in the fourth inning and two singles. Teammate Lynne Moraghan drove in two runs with two singles. WP – Jerzembeck. LP – Silberman. HR – Borella (WM). May 15