Longwood 16, Westhampton 15. Kim Margraf’s fifth-inning single scored Donna Fogus with the winning run. WP – Niegocki. LP – Gaudiello. HR – Caro (L). – Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 21 Mar 1991
Winning Changes Everything Longwood softball, reverse the fortunes of year ago
By A.J. Benza. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, 28 Apr 1991
Any time a rainy afternoon coincides with a scheduled Longwood softball game – which has happened pretty often lately – coach Bill Anderson can expect to see most of his players walk by his math classroom, anxious to know if the game will be postponed.
“All of them. One by one through every period,” Anderson said. “I look to the hallway and there’s another one trying to get my attention.”
It was not like that a year ago, when Longwood went winless after 23 games and, according to Anderson, there was not one single sighting of a Lady Lion at his door during the rainy season. To say the least, the team’s overall enthusiasm dimmed a bit. “It was tough. Real tough,” he said. “But I’ll tell you what, it’s a heck of a lot different this year.”
This year, Longwood was 8-1 (6-1 in League I) through Tuesday and threatening to pull away from its nearest league competitors, Connetquot and Brentwood. Not only is there evidence of Longwood winning by big numbers (17-9 over Ward Melville), it is also taking the pitcher’s duels (2-1 over Connetquot and 3-0 over Brentwood) and coming out ahead in the wild affairs (16-15 over Westhampton). In fact, only Bay Shore has registered more victories (11) than Longwood at this point of the season. It has been an incredible revearsal of fortune and Anderson admits he never saw it coming.
“In a way, coming off that poor a season, I had no idea what would happen,” Anderson said. “I knew we had some talent but there were questions as to how the girls would react to another season. But after the first couple of wins, their confidence soared.
“We’re not cocky, but we’re highly motivated.”
Anderson heaps much of the turnaround on the shoulders of freshman catcher Beth Crimi. Her numbers of three home runs, 18 RBI and a .424 batting average are impressive enough, but Anderson is higher on her defense, her steadiness and her leadership qualities.
“You don’t get that too often in a freshman,” he said. “With Beth, other teams are reluctant to steal or look for the extra base. She’s very smart.”
It’s also hard to overlook Christine Niegocki’s 5-0 pitching record. Anderson stresses she’s “a pitcher, not a thrower,” and he points to her effort in a 3-0 over Brentwood on April 2, during which she did not allow a fly ball to the outfield.
“I tell you, winning is contagious,” Anderson said. “A year ago we were throwing to the wrong base, missing cutoffs and making all the mental errors you could think of. That’s just not happening anymore.”
LEAGUE I
Longwood 7, Brentwood 6. Gladys Caro’s run-scoring triple with one out in the sixth gave Longwood a 7-5 lead. WP – Niegocki. LP – Lamberg. – Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 06 Apr 1991
NON-LEAGUE
Longwood 2, Commack 1. Beth Crimi singled home Amanda Puppo with two outs in the sixth to break a 1-1 tie. Christina Rigano’s homer gave Longwood a 1-0 lead in the fifth. WP – Niegocki. LP – Peddle. HR – Rigano (L); Menard (C). – Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 24 Apr 1991:
