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2004 All-Long Island Softball

BY JASON MOLINET | STAFF WRITER

Nassau Coach of the Year Carmine Verde (Long Beach), Samantha Tilton (Islip), Katelyn Thomas (Hicksville), Leah Bogsted (MacArthur), Sue Agate (Eastport/South Manor), Jessica Legendre (Port Jefferson), Haley Mirrer (East Islip), Annie Riccio (Valley Stream Central), Diana DiPiano (Valley Stream South), Bailey Vertovez (West Islip), Jamie Downer (Glen Cove), Casey Fee (Long Beach), Mary Beth Puccio (Bay Shore), Stephanie Plochochi (Sayville), Jenna Vanacore (Holy Trinity), Suffolk Coach of Year Patty Whitehouse (Islip). (Photo by Joseph D. Sullivan)

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The All-Long Island Softball Team and coaches of the year were selected after polling coaches and Newsday staff members.

SUE AGATE
Eastport/South Manor, Shortstop, Senior
Agate was a key figure in the Eastport lineup for six remarkable seasons, playing in five Suffolk title games and winning three. Agate batted .494 (42 for 85) from the third spot with 6 doubles, 4 triples, 24 RBIs and 20 runs this season as the Sharks captured the Suffolk Class B crown. She won Long Island Class C championships in 1999 and 2002. Agate was a career .345 hitter with 39 extra-base hits, 107 RBIs and 108 runs. Agate is headed to Southampton College. Said coach Steve Giacolone: "She turns a double play better than anyone I've ever seen.''

LEAH BOGSTED
MacArthur, Pitcher, Senior
Bogsted is a two-time Newsday Hi-Five All-Long Island pick who delivered MacArthur to back-to-back Nassau Class A titles. The five-year starter leaves with the school record for strikeouts in a season (297) and career (812). Bogsted went 20-5 this season with a 0.68 ERA and 297 strikeouts in 184 innings. She surrendered 92 hits, 22 walks and 18 earned runs. The pitcher also batted .233 (17-for-73) with 11 RBIs. Bogsted, who is headed to MIT, won 66 games in her career. "She's so great because of her whole makeup,'' coach Bob Fehrenbach said. "She's going to MIT. She's traveled around the world. She knows what she has to do. That all helps.''

DIANA DiPIANO
Valley Stream South, Pitcher, Junior
DiPiano is a two-time Newsday Hi-Five All-Long Island pick and five-year starter who has racked up 769 career strikeouts. She's carried Valley Stream South to the county championship series in each of the last four seasons, winning a pair of Nassau Class B crowns. DiPiano went 16-6 this season with a 0.67 ERA and 230 strikeouts in 156 1/3 innings to get the Falcons to the Nassau Class A finals. She gave up 64 hits and 39 walks, living on the outside corner. DiPiano also proved a clutch hitter, batting .490 (28-for-57) with 22 RBI and 18 runs. Said coach Dom Fontana: "She's the most aggressive and competitive athlete I've ever coached.''

JAMIE DOWNER
Glen Cove, Centerfield, Sophomore
Downer has earned a reputation as Nassau's most dangerous hitter. She batted .640 (32 for 50) this season with 5 triples, 3 homers, 17 RBIs and 23 runs. Downer had 11 steals and walked 17 times, including seven intentional passes. Because of teams' reluctance to pitch to Downer, coach Craig Johanson moved her from cleanup to No. 2 in the order. Glen Cove lost to eventual champ MacArthur in the Nassau Class A quarterfinals. The three-year starter has a strong frame that moves bat through the zone. "She's very patient,'' Johanson said. "She's going to sit up there and hit the pitch she likes.''

CASEY FEE
Long Beach, Second Base, Junior
Fee is a three-year starter who won her second county title this season. She was the muscle behind Long Beach's 23-1 run to a Nassau Class AA title. Fee batted .474 (37 for 78) with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 33 RBIs and 22 runs from the No. 3 spot. Not only was she clutch at the plate, but her speed in the field proved just as important. "She's got so much range we could cheat more toward the middle,'' coach Carmine Verde said. "And she had enough sped to get to the foul line. We stole hits up the middle.''

JESSICA LEGENDRE
Port Jefferson, Shortstop, Junior
Legendre was the backbone of Port Jefferson's 11-8 season and Class C semifinal berth. She batted .661 (43 for 65) with 8 doubles, 6 triples, 5 homers, 41 RBIs and 27 runs this season. The four-year starter owns a .553 career average and 126 RBIs. Legendre's fielding has already drawn Division I interest; she's routinely thrown out runners at home from the grass. "She's probably got the best arm on the Island,'' coach Steve Smith said. "She has tremendous range, a great arm and knows the game.''

HALEY MIRRER
East Islip, Pitcher, Junior
Mirrer transferred from Bay Shore after missing most of her sophomore season due to illness. She bounced back in a big way. This season Mirrer went 12-2 with a remarkable 196 strikeouts in 93 innings. She posted 10 shutouts and four no-hitters to lead East Islip to the Suffolk Class AA semifinals. Mirrer gave up only three hits and one earned run in her final three starts, striking out 41 in 20 innings. When she wasn't pitching, Mirrer filled in at shortstop and anchored the top of the lineup. The switch-hitter batted .553 with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 14 RBIs and 10 steals. "She does it all,'' coach Stephanie Nardone said. "Haley's probably the most versatile player on Long Island.''

STEPHANIE PLOCHOCHI
Sayville, Pitcher, Junior
Plochochi is a four-year starter and four-time All-Suffolk pick to took Sayville to the Suffolk Class A final one year after winning the Long Island Class B crown. She went 15-4 with a 0.98 ERA and 166 strikeouts in 134 innings. She gave up just 69 hits and 10 walks. Plochochi batted .379 (27-for-73) with 5 doubles, 9 RBIs and 17 runs. Her career numbers sparkle: 61-13, 564 strikeouts in 505 innings and 21 shutouts. "Steph is not overpowering,'' coach Jenn Wittman said. "She's very intelligent and uses her arsenal of six pitches. All of them work well.''

MARY BETH PUCCIO
Bay Shore, First Base, Junior
Puccio is a four-year starter and three-time All-Suffolk pick. The two-time Newsday Hi-Five All-Long Island selection can add another honor Gatorade state player of the year. She's accounted for 14 homers over the last two seasons. This year Puccio batted .526 with 7 home runs, 7 doubles and 4 triples, good for a .987 slugging percentage. She also drove in 44 runs and made just one error at first base. She led Bay Shore to a 20-2 season and the Suffolk Class AA semifinals.

ANNIE RICCIO
Valley Stream Central, Catcher, Senior
Riccio is a four-year starter and two-time All-Nassau pick for a team that went to the Nassau Class AA quarterfinals. She batted .575 (42-for-73) with 7 doubles, 1 triple and 2 homers. Riccio not only drove in 38 of her team's 80 runs this season, she threw out 11 baserunners at catcher. She batted at least .441 her entire career and led the Eagles to the Nassau Class A championship series in 2002. Riccio is the daughter of coach Arty Riccio.

KATELYN THOMAS
Hicksville, Shortstop, Senior
Thomas was a four-year starter and three-time All-Nassau pick who led Hicksville to the Nassau Class AA championship series. She moved from centerfield to shortstop this year seamlessly, batting .351 (26-for-86) with four extra-base hits, 13 RBIs, 16 runs and 6 steals. Thomas, who has a batting cage in the backyard, owns a .380 career average and won a Class A title as a freshman. She will play at NYIT.

SAMANTHA TILTON
Islip, Pitcher, Senior
Tilton is a six-year starter and four-time All-Suffolk pick. After reaching the Suffolk Class B final a year ago, she pitched Islip to a 24-2-1 record and the Class A Long Island title this spring. Tilton went 16-1-1 with a 0.43 ERA and 172 strikeouts in 131 innings. She surrendered 53 hits, 3 walks and recorded 12 shutouts. Tilton finished her career with 625 strikeouts and 68 wins. Tilton will play at Adelphi.

JENNA VANACORE
Holy Trinity, Pitcher, Freshman
With only older sister Justine Vanacore (catcher) as a guide, Jenna stepped into one of the most pressure-filled jobs in softball. She replaced Newsday Hi-Five All-Long Island pick Danielle Stallone (now at Hofstra) in the pitcher's circle and helped Holy Trinity defend its state CHSAA crown. The freshman went 16-2 with a 0.55 ERA and struck out 139 in 127 innings. She gave up 60 hits, 13 walks and 10 earned runs with 12 shutouts, one perfect game and a no-hitter. Vanacore also batted .218 with 15 RBIs and 11 runs, and was named the CHSAA player of the year. "She is probably the most poised kid out there,'' coach Susan Cassidy said. "You'd never know she's a freshman.''

BAILEY VERTOVEZ
West Islip, Pitcher, Junior
Vertovez is a four-year starter and three-time All-Suffolk pick who took West Islip to the Class AA Long Island championship. The junior went 19-2 with a 0.45 ERA and 283 strikeouts in 154 innings this season. She gave up 50 hits, 14 walks and posted 12 shutouts. Vertovez was even better in the playoffs, giving up one earned run in 37 innings with 64 strikeouts. She owns a 43-11 record and 613 strikeouts in her career. She's also a .327 hitter in her career.

COACHES OF THE YEAR

CARMINE VERDE
NASSAU COACH OF THE YEAR
Long Beach (23-1)
Verde is no stranger to the big game. He's directed Long Beach to four county titles and five trips to the finals in the last eight seasons. Verde owns a 249-121 record in 17 seasons. And while the Marines marched all the way to the Class A state title game in 2002, this was arguably Long Beach's finest season. The Marines started 23-0 and won the inaugural Nassau Class AA crown before falling to West Islip in the Long Island title game. The Marines won seven games in a row in their last at bat this season. "I try to make it fun and deflect as much pressure off the kids as possible,'' Verde said. "There's pressure built into the game. I try to put them in a position where they can be relaxed, aggressive and focused.''

PATTY WHITEHOUSE
SUFFOLK COACH OF THE YEAR
Islip (24-2-1)
Whitehouse coaches for the same school she once served as catcher. She took over a team in 1999 coming off a Suffolk Class B championship. Just one problem: one starter returned and Islip went 4-12 that season. "That is when I grabbed Tilton, [Jennie] Veryzer, [Kara] Guadagno, [Emily] Nyman and [Erica] Davies from the middle school and built this dynasty around them,'' said Whitehouse, who is 95-35-1 in six seasons. "They got stronger, smarter and better.'' After three straight losses in the semis, Islip reach the Suffolk Class B final last season. Veryzer graduated in 2003, but the rest helped Islip break through this spring with a Suffolk Class A title and Long Island crown.