Longwood 4 Lindenhurst 1 WP – Talbot. LP – Cullihane. HR – Lo 1 (Hohenberger).  March 31

Patchogue-Medford 12 Longwood 0 WP – Cameron. LP – Talbot. Katie Cameron threw a one- hitter with 10 strikeouts for PM. April 4

Longwood 5 Brentwood 3 WP – Talbot. LP – Flint. April 7

Longwood 5 Brentwood 3 WP – Talbot. LP – Flint. April 7

Longwood 12 Floyd 9 WP – Talbot. LP – Nelson. HR – F 1 (Cunningham).  April 12

Longwood 7, Sachem East 4: Kristin Weeks’ three-run homer in the fifth broke a tie at 4 for Longwood. Brentwood 15, [Floyd] 4: Meghan Gwynn had a triple, a home run and four RBIs for Brentwood. Connetquot 16, Commack 0: Junior Heather Buckshaw had nine strikeouts as she threw the program’s first perfect game in a League II game that was called after five because of the 15-run mercy rule. She struck out nine. Maureen McLaughlin hit a two-run homer. WP – Caitlin Talbot. LP – Dulaney. HR – L 1 (Weeks).  April 18

Commack 7, Longwood 0: Nicole Constantatos pitched a one-hitter with six strikeouts for Commack in a Suffolk Division I crossover.April 19

Connetquot 9 Longwood 0 WP – Stalter. LP – Talbot. HR – C 1 (Bongiorno). April 21

Bay Shore 5 Longwood 0 WP – Sullivan. LP – Talbot. April 26

Longwood 7 Sachem North 0, WP – Talbot. LP – Cunetla. April 27

Longwood 3 Northport 2 WP – Talbot. LP – Maguire. April 28

Whitman 4 Longwood 3 WP – Python. LP – Talbot. HR – W 1 (Barbuto). May 2

Longwood 15 Central Islip 0 WP – Talbot. LP – Forester. May 3

Lindenhurst 8 Longwood 4 WP – Cronin. LP – Talbot. HR – 1 Li (McComb). May 5

HS SOFTBALL INSIDER: Playoffs in sight again, Brentwood, PM, Longwood could return to Suffolk AA bracket: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]

JASON MOLINET. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 06 May 2006: 

It’s been seven seasons since Brentwood last made the playoffs. The drought is five seasons at Patchogue-Medford. Longwood hasn’t seen the postseason since 1986. Not one current Longwood player was even alive then.

What do these Suffolk League I softball teams have in common? Hope.

It’s been an upside-down season in which traditional also- rans Brentwood, Patchogue-Medford and Longwood each is in sight of a playoff berth with two weeks remaining.

“League I is up for grabs,” Brentwood fourth-year coach Brian Lynch said. “Almost anyone can win it. Patchogue and Longwood are a surprise. And certainly we’re a surprise.”

Brentwood (10-7 overall, 7-7 League I), starting four freshmen, needs three more wins against League I or II foes to qualify for the Class AA playoffs for the first time since 1999. The Indians erupted for a 14-7 win over Sachem East on Thursday, highlighting their strength: Brentwood can hit.

Senior centerfielder Allie Lee, a four-year starter, smacked a grand slam against Sachem East. She’s batting .350 with 18 RBIs and seven steals.

Sophomore second baseman Meghan Gwynn is hitting .350 with five homers and 20 RBIs.

“Our hitting has come on recently,” said Lynch, a former assistant at St. Joseph’s (L.I.). “Our hitting is getting hot at the right time.”

Patchogue-Medford (8-5, 8-5) can’t play a non-league game this spring because of the austerity budget, but it has the look of a playoff team for the first time since 2001. Longtime coach Paula Lindsay credits stellar defense and the rise of two juniors for the turnaround. Windmiller Katie Cameron boasts a 1.74 ERA and 77 strikeouts. Shortstop Madison Snyder is batting .419 with 13 RBIs.

“I’m pleasantly surprised,” Lindsay said. “We have a lot of potential. We have a strong defense and our pitcher is doing an awesome job.”

So much of softball is pitching, but sometimes it’s simply getting a team in the right frame of mind. Second-year coach Fran Montanino said Longwood‘s turnaround is about setting the right tone.

“I’ve tried to incorporate a different attitude and break old habits,” said Montanino, a former pitching coach at NYIT. “Our philosophy this year is trust. We do a lot of team-building activities.”

The Lions were 2-17-1 the year before Montanino took over. They improved to 7-13 a year ago. Now Longwood (9-6, 8-6) is on pace for its first postseason appearance since it reached the Suffolk Class A semifinals in 1986.

Junior pitcher Caitlin Talbot, starting for the second season, and senior centerfielder Jackie Wood have been the glue. Wood, a slap hitter, is batting .400 from the leadoff spot.

The Lions must win two of their final five games to qualify for the postseason.

“This is the time where we have to set ourselves apart from the old Longwood,” Montanino said. “And if any girls can do it, this is the group.

Patchogue-Medford 3 Longwood 2 WP – Cameron. LP – Talbot. May 9

Patchogue-Medford 3, Longwood 2: Sarah Sawicki’s single drove in Christina Antonio to cap a three-run fifth for Patchogue-Medford (9- 5 Suffolk League I). Longwood is 8-7. May 9

Longwood 15 Brentwood 9 WP – Talbot. LP – Mahoney. HR – L 1 (Fabrizio). May 12

Longwood 2 Ward Melville 0 WP – Talbot. LP – Steinmuller. May 18

Longwood 1 Sachem East 0 WP – Talbot. LP – Wilson. May 19

Longwood 9 Floyd 1 WP – Talbot. LP – Nelson. HR – L 2 (Weeks, Talbot). May 21

Suffolk Class AA first round – at higher seed

(5)Smithtown West 4 (12)Longwood 2 , WP – Kamena. LP – Talbot. May 24