Caputo helps SJB girls reclaim CHSAA title
CHSAA Softball final between St. Anthony's and St. John the Baptist. Despite the efforts from St. Anthony's #11 Michelle Carbone, St. John the Baptist won the championship game. (May 25, 2010) Credit: Pablo Corradi
The bases were loaded with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning of a one-run game and St. John the Baptist's dynasty was on the line.
After Michelle Carbone's RBI single drew St. Anthony's to within a run, a fielding error jammed the bases and put pitcher Erin Caputo in a delicate position. A ground ball or fly ball and the game is likely tied. A hit and the Friars win in a walk off. "I went out to the circle and said, 'Listen, you guys need to work together and go one out at a time and we'll get out of this inning,' " coach Brianne Herr said.
Caputo went to work and induced a pop-up on a drop curve, then got a lineout to short to end the threat and send screaming St. John the Baptist players running toward the circle in a 5-4 CHSAA championship game final win at the Hofstra University softball field.
The Cougars will take on St. Joseph by the Sea in the semifinals of the CHSAA state championships at 2 p.m. June 1 at Holy Trinity.
It is St. John the Baptist's third straight CHSAA title and fifth in six years. The Cougars are also the first team to win a title since the circle was moved back to 43 feet for the 2010 season. "We worked more on our hitting to adjust to the change," Herr said "And it was evident today. We just started getting around on the ball."
Christine Bosco was 3-for-4 with a run scored and Allison Schmidt was 1-for-3 with two RBIs for SJB. Michelle Carbone was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Katlyn Carlino went 1-for-3 with a double, walk, run scored and RBI for St. Anthony's.
Ryan Quick (1-for-3) was awarded championship game MVP after her double to leftfield in the second gave St. John the Baptist a 2-0 lead. Quick scored on Christina Vitale's single.
Schmidt's two-out two-run single in the top of the third gave SJB a 5-1 lead.
CHSAA awards
Our Lady of Mercy's Samantha Sauer (5-10, 2.00 ERA, 123 strikeouts) and Michelle Carbone (15-12, 0.80 ERA, 110 strikeouts) were named CHSAA co-pitchers of the year. St. John the Baptist catcher Kaitlyn Crowley was named CHSAA player of the year after batting .485 with 12 doubles.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 15: LI's top basketball players On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra and Matt Lindsay take a look top boys and girls basketball players on Long Island.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 15: LI's top basketball players On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra and Matt Lindsay take a look top boys and girls basketball players on Long Island.
