By Benito Vila

Going in needing one more win to clinch a playoff spot, the Lady Whalers went into last Friday’s game against Southold looking for a measure of revenge, the Lady Settlers sending them home with a 20-point loss in December.

But a near empty Pierson gym made moot the little emotional lift the Lady Whalers may have needed, the Lady Settlers heading home with a 44-31 win. The difference in Friday’s game was the 25-10 lead the visitors held after the first half, strong outside shooting and second-chance shots sparking an 8-3 start for Southold and then an 11-2 second quarter run.

The Pierson girls kept the game even in the second half, guards Sarah Barrett and Amanda Busiello finishing fast break chances in the third and forward Sami James firing in four jumpers in the fourth. The team’s play on the perimeter improved as the half played out, defenders Busiello, Emily Hinz and Catherine O’Brien challenging the outside shot and rebounders Kaci Koehne, Bridget Canavan and Annie Osiecki denying the extra chances.

Mid-term exams across the county are curtailing games and practices this coming week. The Pierson girls, now 5-3 in League VIII, play again, going to Ross to meet the 0-7 Lady Ravens.

The Lady Ravens were just six-deep when the Lady Whalers outran them, 52-31, after the New Year’s holiday. The Lady Ravens also lost this past Friday, falling 55-12 to Shelter Island at home, the Lady Indians taking charge with an 18-2 first half.

Lyndsey Fridie and Cholena Smith led Ross in scoring against Shelter Island, each scoring four, and James, eleven points, and Barrett, ten, topped Pierson against Southold.

By Benito Vila

The numbers seemed stacked in Pierson’s favor from the start Tuesday, the Lady Whalers hosting the Ross Lady Ravens in a League VIII girls’ basketball match-up. The home team had ten players available while the visitors came in with just six.

That advantage meant little at the outset, Ross running up a 12-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. Pierson’s depth and speed played a part in the second quarter, though, the Lady Whalers outscoring their counterparts 15-1 and taking a 24-13 halftime lead.

Lady Whaler coach Dennis Case described his team having a “poor start playing man-to-man. Our shooting was way off the mark, too. We were down 12-5 and switched to a 1-2-2 zone, then gave up only five points in the next two-and-a-half quarters.”

By the time the fourth quarter started, Pierson held a 42-17 lead, Coach Case able to turn to his bench to finish the game. Ross coach Garrett Cutler, meanwhile, had little in reserve, acknowledging, “We always start strong, but we get tired. Once our stamina goes, it’s harder to stay close.”

Still, Coach Cutler likes the talent he has on the squad. “It’s been the same players for the last three years. I’ve had them at the JV level and we’ve done well there. This is Ross’ first varsity team since 2005 and it’s an experience that we’re all having fun with.”

Lady Raven junior, Kayla Jerido, led all scorers Tuesday with 22 points. Lady Whaler Sarah Barrett was right behind with 21 points, matching a career high. Samantha James tossed in 12 for Pierson, with Amanda Busiello adding seven and Kaci Koehne six. Emily Hinz, four points, and Sariah Cafiero, two points, closed out the Lady Whalers’ scoring.

Also scoring for Ross were Lindsey Fridie and Autumn Williams, who had seven points and two points, respectively.

Monarchs, Bears and Royals

The Lady Whalers are now 2-1 in league play and have perennial powers Mercy and Stony Brook up next. The girls go to Mercy Friday for a 6:45 start and are home Monday for a 6:15 tip-off.

Looking ahead, Coach Case said, “Mercy will be tough but is definitely in our sights. Consistency and focus are needed for our team to get better.”

The 0-3 Lady Ravens also have a hard road ahead, Stony Brook coming in this afternoon for a 4:30 p.m. start. The Ross girls go to Port Jefferson on Monday and likely won’t be home until almost 11 p.m.

JV Ladies Roll

The Lady Whalers also took the JV match-up on Tuesday, Pierson outscoring Ross 38-18.

Lady Whaler coach Kevin Barron attributed his defense as being the difference in the game, saying, “[We] held Ross to 6 points in the first half. We were able to get steals and score many of our points in transition off the fast break.”

Julia Schiavoni led the team with 14 points, Rachel Saidman scoring ten and Kasey Gilbride, eight.

By Benito Vila

If “all’s well that ends well”, then what are people to do about things that end poorly?

For the Pierson field hockey team, the tears came on as soon as the ball hit the bottom of the box Saturday evening, Port Jefferson taking the Suffolk County Class C title 1-0 in a double-overtime thriller played at Patchogue-Medford High School.

For the 60-some Pierson fans in the stands, there was a dull and hollow feeling. All the effort, emotion, teamwork and tenacious play put in by the Lady Whalers wasting away so quickly after 73 minutes of dead-even competition.

It seemed so cruel somehow, but someone had to win and someone had to lose. Pierson had had its chances, the midfielders and forwards controlling the ball for much of the match and the defense making stop after stop.

But the sudden and somewhat shocking loss didn’t stop the Whaler faithful from cheering. Out of the bleachers came kind words of encouragement in and amongst the applause, the Lady Whalers hearing, “Good job, girls” and “Walk away proud, Pierson.”

WhalerNation

It seemed such a perfect day Saturday. The temperature, the sky, the light, the breeze, the easy tempo in town; it was without a doubt one of those ten best days of the year Al Roker goes on about.

It was also a great day for field hockey, despite the academic realities SATs, the end of the first grading period and college application deadlines. And the Lady Whalers and their faithful fans were ready to go.

Setting off just after lunch, the team was psyched-up to put away the Lady Royals, Port Jeff having run off with last year’s title with a 1-0 win in overtime and having pulled out of Mashashimuet Park with a 2-0 non-league win earlier this season.

That was all the motivation the Lady Whalers needed. But in case that wasn’t enough, team parents, led by Missie Mahoney, organized a spectator bus, courtesy of the Sag Harbor Fire Department, when the school district was unable to provide one of its own.

Word went out about the bus by every personal communication device imaginable and a packed-in party of primarily sophomores, juniors and seniors pulled away from Pierson at 2:30 p.m., ready to make some noise. By the time that contingent arrived in Patchogue, red warrior face paint adorned much of the rolling WhalerNation.

Finding the ladies practicing, the Pierson fans watched from a distance, spirits light and hopeful among those wearing red and black. When the Class B game ended, Shoreham-Wading River outscoring Miller Place 2-0 for the Class B title, the team and spectators packed up to go in, smiles and “good luck” creating a positive energy.

Once inside, the Pierson side began to make itself heard even before the game started. Words of encouragement were constant as the Lady Whalers prepped on the field and then were introduced.

That cheering was so constant when the game started that a Port Jeff fan scolded his side for sitting quietly, loudly saying, “Why can’t you be more like them?”

Back and Forth

The Lady Whalers came out ready and kept the ball moving upfield for most of the first half. Five Port Jeff corners and long runs deep into the Pierson side late were turned away by goalie Christy Deery and Jessica Warne, Kasey Gilbride and Sam James in front of her.

Meanwhile, Aly Bori, Abby Gawronski and Alexa Lantiere were leading the Lady Whalers into the Port Jeff side, feeding the ball forward to Nicole Dorego, Sarah Barrett, Lindsay Warne and Sariah Cafiero.

The best Pierson scoring opportunities came with seven minutes and three minutes remaining in the half, but a missed crossing pass thwarted the first bid and a hesitation on a one-on-one break saw the second one go for naught.

After the half, the Lady Whalers immediately took the ball upfield, a shot coming out of a scramble in front of the Port Jeff box. The ball seemed to go past the goalie a point being indicated by one of the officials. After some discussion with the other official, the goal was waved off, Pierson being awarded a penalty stroke.

Stepping up to shoot from seven yards out, Lindsay Warne had all the Whaler faithful up and cheering. Her shot, though, went wide, Port Jeff regaining possession and taking the ball deep into the Pierson side.

That Lady Royal run was cut off by Jessica Warne, who sent the ball back into the midfield only to see it come back as Port Jeff cut off the Lady Whaler counter. In that possession, the Port Jeff attack moved the ball into the box and beat Deery but Cafiero came in to cut off the shot and keep the contest scoreless.

That play sent up a huge roar from the Pierson fans and sparked a series of deep drives into the Port Jeff side, Lantiere and Cafiero coming close to breaking the tie more than once. With both sides working furiously as the clock wound down, the match finished regulation scoreless, overtime and “sudden death” or “sudden victory” assuredly coming to one side or the other.

7-on-7

Overtime in field hockey calls for each team to take off four players, leaving the match to be resolved in a seven-on-seven contest. In the first 10-minute period, the ball stayed mostly at mid-field, the two teams playing to a draw despite an occasional foray downfield.

The second overtime continued much the same way, before a Port Jeff charge into the Pierson circle with seven minutes remaining ended with the ball becoming lodged under Deery’s gear. That trapping of the ball is illegal, the officials stopping the match and awarding the Lady Royals a penalty stroke.

Stepping in for Port Jeff was Amber Bruckner, a tall forward who took a moment to stretch yoga-like while Deery set herself to defend the Pierson goal. On the official’s whistle, Bruckner rocketed a shot to Deery’s left that made the hard sound no one in the WhalerNation wanted to hear.

The seven Lady Whalers on the field took it hard, gathering and consoling each other as the Lady Royals ran in to congratulate Bruckner.

Post-game Moments

Lady Whaler coach Shannon Judge brought her team together on the field while the other side was taking pictures. Even in defeat, Coach Judge managed to find a way to make her girls laugh and stay together, though it was clear the outcome had broken hearts and brought on bleary eyes.

In describing what hurt the most, Bori, a senior captain said, “Losing to a team that way, twice, and realizing that this is the last time I will wear the Lady Whaler uniform.”

Knowing she and her teammates had outplayed their opposition didn’t help either in accepting the outcome. “We should have had that goal, not a stroke. It was a terrible call. I was right on the ball.”

Still, in talking about and praising her teammate and classmate Deery, Bori added, “It’s hard to be in that situation one-on-one. It’s a bad place. She played such an amazing game but there was no way she could have blocked that shot. To me, she’s still our MVP.”

Please pick-up the Express on Thursday to read Coach Judge’s comments on the game and the season.

By Benito Vila

It’s never easy to play the top of the league back-to-back, but that’s what the Pierson volleyball Lady Whalers were up against this week. Despite some solid play, the girls found themselves playing from behind in both matches and saw their league mark drop to 2-4.

Fortune was not kind to the team Friday, undefeated Shelter Island prevailing in the Pierson gym 3-0 in a Homecoming game. That match saw the Lady Indians take game one 25-11 and game two 25-12.

In game three, the Lady Whalers took an early 7-5 lead, battled to keep the score close before Shelter Island pulled away at 20-18 on their way to a 25-19 win.

Afterwards, Pierson coach Stacey Springer praised her team’s determination not to give in. “We’re learning what it takes to be more mentally tough. Playing a team like that, my girls can see what it means to stay in the game and fight and move for every point.”

Coach Springer noted a number of “club” or travel team players on the Lady Indian squad, knowing she only has one, Samara Finkenauer, on her team. “Getting more girls to play more is a big part of what we’re trying to do with our program. It pays off when players absolutely know who’s where and who can do what on the court. That kind of communication is key to winning.”

A Late Start

At Center Moriches Monday, the Lady Whalers took the court an atypical start time, coming on after the JV. The late start worked against the team, the Lady Devils taking games one and two, 25-15 and 25-13.

 “We were out of sync for whatever reason. It took a while for us to get into the match and we were having trouble communicating,” said Coach Springer. “Before game three, I assigned defensive positions and kept calling them out before every serve.”

That adjustment seemed to help, Pierson taking that game 25-19. The fourth game was closely played but the Lady Devils prevailed 28-26.

 “We had a couple of calls go the other way late or else we might have forced a game five, recounted Coach Springer. “In all, it was much better than game one and two. And it showed the girls some of the adjustments we can make.”

 “By the fourth game we had a lot more communication. Dominique Clark, our libero, took charge of the defense. Katelyn [Grdski] and Tanasha [Clark] helped Xylia [Serafy] in setting and Samara and Katelyn came through with good hits when we needed them.”

What’s Ahead

Ross comes into the Pierson gym Friday at 4:30 p.m., for what Coach Springer expects to be close match. On Wednesday, the girls go to Port Jefferson looking to avenge a 3-1 loss last month. Next Saturday, the team will be on the road early to play Mercy at 11:45 a.m.

This week, the Lady Whalers are also finalizing plans for a “Dig Pink” fundraiser to be held at Pierson as part of their match with Greenport on October 19. Dig Pink is a national volleyball-based breast cancer awareness program the girls first participated in at Greenport last year, the two programs agreeing to pool their efforts again this year. 

By Benito Vila

It’s never easy to play the top of the league back-to-back, but that’s what the Pierson volleyball Lady Whalers were up against this week. Despite some solid play, the girls found themselves playing from behind in both matches and saw their league mark drop to 2-4.

Fortune was not kind to the team Friday, undefeated Shelter Island prevailing in the Pierson gym 3-0 in a Homecoming game. That match saw the Lady Indians take game one 25-11 and game two 25-12.

In game three, the Lady Whalers took an early 7-5 lead, battled to keep the score close before Shelter Island pulled away at 20-18 on their way to a 25-19 win.

Afterwards, Pierson coach Stacey Springer praised her team’s determination not to give in. “We’re learning what it takes to be more mentally tough. Playing a team like that, my girls can see what it means to stay in the game and fight and move for every point.”

Coach Springer noted a number of “club” or travel team players on the Lady Indian squad, knowing she only has one, Samara Finkenauer, on her team. “Getting more girls to play more is a big part of what we’re trying to do with our program. It pays off when players absolutely know who’s where and who can do what on the court. That kind of communication is key to winning.”

A Late Start

At Center Moriches Monday, the Lady Whalers took the court an atypical start time, coming on after the JV. The late start worked against the team, the Lady Devils taking games one and two, 25-15 and 25-13.

 “We were out of sync for whatever reason. It took a while for us to get into the match and we were having trouble communicating,” said Coach Springer. “Before game three, I assigned defensive positions and kept calling them out before every serve.”

That adjustment seemed to help, Pierson taking that game 25-19. The fourth game was closely played but the Lady Devils prevailed 28-26.

 “We had a couple of calls go the other way late or else we might have forced a game five, recounted Coach Springer. “In all, it was much better than game one and two. And it showed the girls some of the adjustments we can make.”

 “By the fourth game we had a lot more communication. Dominique Clark, our libero, took charge of the defense. Katelyn [Grdski] and Tanasha [Clark] helped Xylia [Serafy] in setting and Samara and Katelyn came through with good hits when we needed them.”

What’s Ahead

Ross comes into the Pierson gym Friday at 4:30 p.m., for what Coach Springer expects to be close match. On Wednesday, the girls go to Port Jefferson looking to avenge a 3-1 loss last month. Next Saturday, the team will be on the road early to play Mercy at 11:45 a.m.

This week, the Lady Whalers are also finalizing plans for a “Dig Pink” fundraiser to be held at Pierson as part of their match with Greenport on October 19. Dig Pink is a national volleyball-based breast cancer awareness program the girls first participated in at Greenport last year, the two programs agreeing to pool their efforts again this year. 

By Benito Vila

It’s never easy to play the top of the league back-to-back, but that’s what the Pierson volleyball Lady Whalers were up against this week. Despite some solid play, the girls found themselves playing from behind in both matches and saw their league mark drop to 2-4.

Fortune was not kind to the team Friday, undefeated Shelter Island prevailing in the Pierson gym 3-0 in a Homecoming game. That match saw the Lady Indians take game one 25-11 and game two 25-12.

In game three, the Lady Whalers took an early 7-5 lead, battled to keep the score close before Shelter Island pulled away at 20-18 on their way to a 25-19 win.

Afterwards, Pierson coach Stacey Springer praised her team’s determination not to give in. “We’re learning what it takes to be more mentally tough. Playing a team like that, my girls can see what it means to stay in the game and fight and move for every point.”

Coach Springer noted a number of “club” or travel team players on the Lady Indian squad, knowing she only has one, Samara Finkenauer, on her team. “Getting more girls to play more is a big part of what we’re trying to do with our program. It pays off when players absolutely know who’s where and who can do what on the court. That kind of communication is key to winning.”

A Late Start

At Center Moriches Monday, the Lady Whalers took the court an atypical start time, coming on after the JV. The late start worked against the team, the Lady Devils taking games one and two, 25-15 and 25-13.

 “We were out of sync for whatever reason. It took a while for us to get into the match and we were having trouble communicating,” said Coach Springer. “Before game three, I assigned defensive positions and kept calling them out before every serve.”

That adjustment seemed to help, Pierson taking that game 25-19. The fourth game was closely played but the Lady Devils prevailed 28-26.

 “We had a couple of calls go the other way late or else we might have forced a game five, recounted Coach Springer. “In all, it was much better than game one and two. And it showed the girls some of the adjustments we can make.”

 “By the fourth game we had a lot more communication. Dominique Clark, our libero, took charge of the defense. Katelyn [Grdski] and Tanasha [Clark] helped Xylia [Serafy] in setting and Samara and Katelyn came through with good hits when we needed them.”

What’s Ahead

Ross comes into the Pierson gym Friday at 4:30 p.m., for what Coach Springer expects to be close match. On Wednesday, the girls go to Port Jefferson looking to avenge a 3-1 loss last month. Next Saturday, the team will be on the road early to play Mercy at 11:45 a.m.

This week, the Lady Whalers are also finalizing plans for a “Dig Pink” fundraiser to be held at Pierson as part of their match with Greenport on October 19. Dig Pink is a national volleyball-based breast cancer awareness program the girls first participated in at Greenport last year, the two programs agreeing to pool their efforts again this year. 

By Benito Vila

It was truly a tribal experience in Mashashimuet Park yesterday evening, over 100 voices cheering, Pierson varsity softball down 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth in game two of the Class C championship series, Lady Whalers at second and third, one out, needing a run to tie and a win to take the title.

That’s as good as it got for the home side, Port Jefferson Lady Royal pitcher Michiko McGivney setting down two Pierson batters on strikes and keeping her team in the lead. McGivney then put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh, a bases-loaded, two-out single to left putting the Lady Royals up 8-4 and coolly quieting the Lady Whaler faithful.

In the bottom of the seventh, Sam Federico started up the cheers again, smacking a single to right, taking second when Katie Osiecki also socked a one-out single to right. But then the promising rally came undone, a quick shortstop-to-second-to-first double play killing any chance of a Pierson comeback.

The best-of-three Class C series now even, one game apiece, the Lady Whalers travel to Port Jefferson tomorrow for game three of the series. Pierson took game one there Saturday, 5-2, Federico and Kaci Koehne sparking the attack and pitcher Melanie Stafford keeping the defense sharp in throwing a complete game five-hitter.

The winner of tomorrow’s series finale moves into the state tournament and the “Super Regional” semi-finals at Mitchell Field in Hempstead on Tuesday, June 9. That semi-final match-up pits the Suffolk Class C Champ against the Nassau champ at 1 p.m., the winner there playing a regional final at 4 p.m.

After yesterday’s loss, Lady Whaler coach Melissa Edwards said she would focus on hitting and fielding work in practice today. Looking ahead to tomorrow’s do-or-die contest, she added, “We will continue to work on building our confidence at the plate and our reactions to the ball in the field. Bloop hits that fell in and quiet bats let the game get away. We go there knowing we hit first. We know we need to attack early and we plan to. And when we get in the field, we have to move a whole lot better to keep them off base.”

Saturday’s Win

In describing the game one win, Coach Edwards reported, “We got on the bus ready to win, and the whole bus ride there I felt something different with this team. They were all upbeat and smiles. We got to the field, did our warm-ups and got ourselves ready to go.”

“We jumped up early, scoring three in the first inning. Natalie [Abbene] led off with a single that got us fired up, then Kaci and Sam singled. With Sam’s single scoring Natalie. Katie came up and hit a single to score Sam and Kaci.”

The Pierson girls put together a two-run rally in the fourth, Coach Edwards recounting, “Nat led off with a single, Kara [Gengarelly] singled, and then Sam Fed hit a bomb to left, a triple, that scored both Nat and Kara.” On the day, Federico went three-for-four, with Koehne, Pintauro, Abbene and Osiecki all going two-for-four.

Coach Edwards said afterwards, “It was a great day for our bats. Nat sparked the game right from the beginning by beating out a bunt, Sam’s triple in the fourth was a monster, and Melanie’s pitching was great. She hit her spots and our defense was there behind her all game with great plays by Sam, Katie and Nat in particular.”

 

Ladies open Class C series on the road Saturday

 

By Benito Vila

 

Getting up early on weekends is not something high school girls are known for but in any well-lived life there are always exceptions. The Pierson varsity softball team is poised to set aside its collective and individual preferences this Saturday morning, the Lady Whalers making their way to Port Jefferson to open a best-of-three series for the county Class C title.

With a scheduled 11 a.m. start Saturday, the Pierson girls will be on their bus before 9 a.m., heading west to play the opponent it dominated 12-4 in Mashashimuet Park last month and then lost to last Friday, 9-2.

Regardless of the final score in Saturday’s opener, game two is set for the park next Wednesday at 4 p.m., the Memorial Day holiday making for a three-day break between match-ups. A spilt of those first two games would require a game three in Port Jeff next Friday at 4 p.m.

In outscoring the Lady Whalers last Friday, the Lady Royals rolled up the win that gave them the home field for games one and three. A Pierson win Friday would have done the same thing for the Sag Harbor girls and would have moved them into a tie for second place in League VIII. Instead the Lady Whalers finished the regular season 8-8 while the Lady Royals ended 10-6.

 

Playoff Talk

 

From the beginning Lady Whaler coach Melissa Edwards has liked what she’s had to work with this year. “We have all the pieces and all the talent to go far. What we’ve needed is more experience, more confidence and more consistency. Those are the things we’ve been working on building all season.”

 “The girls have put their work in, especially on hitting of late. We get that going Saturday and we’ll be OK and the game becomes easy; if we come out and wander in our focus and in our effort, it’ll be a lot harder to get ahead.”

“When we show up to win, we can give anyone a game. When we show up to play, we struggle doing little things, especially at the plate,” said Coach Edwards yesterday. “The effort in practice this week has been all I could want and then some. Getting a win Saturday will depend on whether we can take what we’ve been doing and execute under pressure, come what may.”

 

By Benito Vila

In the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, its stars, Paul Newman and Robert Redford, are pursued by a relentless posse, and in trying to distance themselves, ask, “Who are those guys?” Lady Whaler softball coach Melissa Edwards, in trying to get closer to her team, has been asking the same question.

The Lady Whalers mauled the Lady Mariners last Thursday 14-2 in Mashashimuet Park, a somewhat unexpected outcome given how both teams had been playing against common opponents. Then on Friday, back in the park, the same Lady Whalers went out and lost 9-1 to a Center Moriches squad they had beaten 10-2 earlier in the season.

On Tuesday, Coach Edwards was still flummoxed by the up and down of her team’s performance. “They were so pumped after the game Thursday and then they had no gas on Friday. It was like two different teams, like Jekyll and Hyde.”

 “It’s not the first time this has happened this season, and it’s hard to know which team is going to show up when we go play. I thought Thursday’s win would be a good lead-in in getting back to the League VIII schedule but it wasn’t.”

After describing some of the struggles her girls had in the field and at bat on Friday, Coach Edwards added, “We need to be more consistent every time we take the field and we need to beat the teams we play from hereon in if we’re going to go anywhere.”

The Lady Whalers go into their last week of games 6-6 in conference play, needing two wins to secure a berth in the county’s Class C tournament. This week’s schedule has the team traveling to Southold/Greenport tomorrow for a 4:30 p.m. start and then to Mercy on Saturday for a 2 p.m. start.

The ladies are home in the park Tuesday, hosting first-place Hampton Bays at 4:30 p.m. Their final game is at Port Jefferson next Friday.

 

A Seven-run Second

 

Senior captain Sam Federico stepped into the pitching circle last Thursday, giving freshman Melanie Stafford some relief from her role there, and threw a complete game two-hitter, striking out six and walking two. Federico also pounded a home run to cap a seven-run second inning that put Pierson up 8-0, and allowed the team to cruise to the 14-2 final.

Coach Edwards described it as “a beautiful victory. Everyone did their part to make it happen.” The Lady Whalers were first on the board, Natalie Abbene starting the home half with a single and then coming into score on an infield error.

A walk to Megan Pintauro started the Pierson rally in the second, Abby Gawronski following with a single and Alicia Tagliasacchi with a walk. A walk to Abbene brought a run in and put the pressure on the Lady Mariners, who booted the next ball and then saw the game get away when Kaci Koehne singled and Federico homered.

Pintauro came into score again in the third, singling and then coming in on a ground out. Danielle Schiavoni doubled to open the fifth and Katie Osiecki made the score 10-1 with an RBI single. A Lady Mariner run closed the gap some in the sixth but the Lady Whalers pulled away again in the home half, two walks and two errors and a Koehne double capping the scoring.

A Different Team

Before Friday’s re-match with Center Moriches, Coach Edwards said she talked to her team about “how important it was to clinch their playoff spot right away, against a key rival, but it was like a different group of girls, like the weekend had started already.”

That level of distraction was evident in the field from the start, Stafford striking out a pair, but seeing three errors, a walk and two hits turn into four runs. Pierson’s powerhouse hitting that had been reliable the night before was also missing, the Lady Whalers failing to put anything together until the seventh and scoring just one in that final frame.

By then, the game was all but over, the Lady Devils making the most of an error and a single to add a run in the fifth and a walk and a single to tack on another in the sixth. Two Pierson errors and two long hits helped Center Moriches score three in the top of the seventh and put the game out of reach.

Stafford struck out 13 Lady Devils while scattering nine hits and working around nine errors. On Tuesday, she good-naturedly said, “I did OK, but we didn’t do so well as a team and that’s what matters most.”

=

 

By Benito Vila

It never comes easy between the lines. Sometimes it feels like the ball is square, the bases are uphill and all the variables go the other way. Then there are days when everything goes your way, the hits fall, the outs come quick and everybody gets into it what’s going on.

The Pierson softball Lady Whalers had one of each this week: Bayport-Blue Point made off from Mashashimuet Park with a 7-2 win last Thursday then the team went to Eldwood-John Glenn and came away with a 12-8 win.

The team is 5-5 in conference play, looking forward to completing its League VII “cross-over” today against Southampton at home at 4:30 p.m. Tomorrow, the Lady Whalers open the second half of their League VIII schedule, with Center Moriches coming into the park for a 4:30 p.m. start. On Tuesday, Pierson travels to Mercy, with the first pitch also set for 4:30 p.m.

Eight wins are needed to make the county Class C tournament, adding immediate importance to today’s and tomorrow’s games. The Lady Whalers are well aware that rematches with first place Hampton Bays (May 12) and second place Port Jefferson (May 15) await them, and Coach Melissa Edwards would prefer to go into those games without those being “do-or-die”.

 “We split those games the first time around, losing a close one to Hampton Bays and surprising Port Jefferson, and there’s no reason we couldn’t get both, but I’d prefer to take care of business now, get our wins and prepare for the Class C series,” said Coach Edwards yesterday.

None then Some

Timely hitting is the key to scoring in softball and those proved to be few and far between last Thursday. The Lady Whalers bats were eerily quiet until the fifth when Katie Osiecki smoked a bases-loaded double to bring in Natalie Abbene and Brianna Hand.

Those two runs were not enough against the Lady Phantoms, who are on track for a Class B berth, even though Pierson pitcher Samanthe Federico kept the visitors off-stride, scattering six hits and five walks and recording four strikeouts. Freshman pitcher Melanie Stafford stepped into the circle Friday at John Glenn and fired off a complete game overcoming errors behind her that put Pierson behind 5-1 after three innings. In forcing the opposition to throw strikes in the top of the fourth, several Lady Whalers worked out walks to put the pressure back on the home team. The Lady Knights then had troubles of their own in the field, Pierson rolling up an eight-run rally to take the lead, 9-5. Kaci Koehne delivered a key two-run double on the way to going two-for-three on the afternoon. In tightening up the defense, Stafford struck out five, walked three and surrendered six hits.

Excitement Prevails

The Lady Whaler softball JV is currently 7-4, outscoring both Glenn and Southampton this week by 10 or more and losing a one-run affair to Stony Brook. Coach Kathy Amicucci said, “When we show up excited, we play really well. And more excitingly, we hit well. But sometimes we show up drained, and then, we’re just not quite the same team and it shows.”

In the 14-2 win over Southampton Tuesday, Taylor Boutcher went four-for-four with a double and a triple. Sami James roped a pair doubles and drove in two runners. Gemma Gardella led the team with three RBIs.