Softball Insider: Sasso's move isn't shortsighted

BY STEPHEN HAYNES | stephen.haynes@newsday.com

May 7, 2008

Pitching and defense is what wins games, the axiom goes. But science says that one person can't do both at the same time.

With that, Sachem North coach Diana Rose chose to make her star pitcher a full-time shortstop nine games into her senior season.

Alex Sasso, a four-year starter for the Flaming Arrows, wasn't having a bad season, nor was she to blame for the team suffering back-to-back home blowouts to Bay Shore and Brentwood. She wasn't made the scapegoat, either. For Rose, it was simply a matter of surplus and deficiency - and Sasso's versatility.

"We're a better team with her playing defense," the coach said. "You wish you could have her pitching and playing short at the same time, but we can't clone her."

Sasso, who was among Suffolk's best pitchers with a 1.43 ERA (7-5 on a 10-10 team) last season, was named to the All-County team as a utility player. She started at shortstop on the days she didn't pitch, and her .459 batting average, 22 RBIs and impressive range in the field won her accolades.

She had been alternating with senior Danielle Cunetta in a two-person rotation to open the season. At the time of the switch, Sasso was 1-2 (including a tough 1-0 loss to West Islip in the season opener) with a 2.81 ERA. But the team was 4-4 after an 8-0 thumping by Brentwood on April 15, and the coach thought that a change was needed. The decision was made easier for her because Cunetta got hot and Andrea Licoste got hurt.

Licoste, a freshman the Cougars had been trying to develop at shortstop, suffered a concussion, after running into Sasso - in rightfield for that game - in pursuit of a pop-up against Commack on April 18.

Sasso was batting .636 at the time and had the most experience at the position. She had doubled as a shortstop since playing SYAG travel ball as a 12-year-old. "The situation kind of made the choice for me," Rose said.

There wasn't a sit-down or long discussion about it, either. Rose just penciled Sasso into the lineup and let Cunetta take the mound every game.

"It was a little surprising because that's not the way I'd pictured the season going," Sasso said. "But defense was one of our team's weaknesses, so I don't disagree with the decision."

There were no complaints, and the team is 6-2 since the move. Cunetta, shortly thereafter, began her ascent to the ranks of county elite and now has a 7-2 record and a 0.40 ERA. Meanwhile, Sasso leads the team in hitting with a .523 average and, according to the coach, has "played fine defense."

Licoste recovered from the injury and returned, but Rose, sans a couple of relief appearances in mop-up duty for Sasso, has kept the status quo.

Still, there hasn't been a peep out of the star who, since age 10, has been under the pitching tutelage of former Stony Brook University star Stephanie Poetzsch and owns one of the sharpest curveballs in the county.

"I consider myself a leader," said Sasso, who earned a scholarship to Eckerd College. "I'll do whatever is needed because winning a championship is all that matters. I've never had that and that's the only goal."

Players of the week

Isabella Corrao, St. Dominic

The freshman pitched a perfect game against St. Mary's on Monday, the first of her career. In the 10-0 win, Corrao struck out 17. It was the fourth no-hitter she has tossed this season.

Taylor McGowan, Bay Shore

The ninth-grader has allowed just one baserunner in her last two starts. Against East Rockaway on Saturday, she threw a perfect game with seven strikeouts in a 12-0 win. She also went 4-for-4 with three RBIs at the plate. On Monday, she tossed a one-hitter against Central Islip, with no walks and eight strikeouts. She also went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

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