Cole, Iannucci: Carle Place's dynamic duo

Teammates since Tee Ball and batterymates since Little League, you'd think that Carle Place pitcher Ashley Cole and catcher Leanne Iannucci know each other well.

So we put it to the test and questioned them separately, like contestants on a popular television game show.

Tie game, bases loaded, full count, what pitch is getting called?

Cole: "I would want to throw a curveball because that's my best pitch but it usually depends on the batter and the order."

Iannucci: "Depending on what pitch was on, she'd probably throw either a screw or a curve."

Point goes to both.

Cole and Iannucci are one of the rare high school softball tandems afforded the opportunity to call their own games. The chemistry between the two helped lead Carle Place to its fourth Class B county title in five years with a 14-2 win over East Rockaway on Tuesday.

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It was the latest accomplishment for a duo that has shared many.

How old were you when you first threw to each other?

Cole: "A really young age, probably around seven."

Iannucci: "I've been catching her since Little League, so I think since I've been like seven or eight."

Point goes to both.

Of the years the two have spent together, Cole is experiencing her finest season yet. While she admits that Carle Place has benefited from a weaker schedule in an enrollment based alignment, her ability to locate pitches has been just as big a factor. At 15-2 with a 0.55 ERA, Cole has struck out 196 batters this season and walked just four.

"Her progression has been unbelievable," Iannucci said of Cole. "I've seen her go from having only a fastball back when we were 8 to now with all the pitches and confidence she has on the mound."

In addition to her game calling responsibilities and her 1.000 fielding percentage, Iannucci is hitting .544 with 36 RBIs. The three-year captain recorded the 100th hit of her five-year career this season, becoming the fifth player in the program's 15-year history to reach the milestone, and she still has a full season remaining.

"Leanne has become an amazing hitter," Cole said. "She's concentrating on so many things behind the plate that it's amazing how much she can do game after game. She makes me look good with her pitch calling."

How many total pitches have you thrown together?

Cole: "I don't even know, I think like 5,000. Something around that."

Iannucci: "Oh my gosh, probably thousands. Like 5,000 or something, I don't know."

Point goes to both.

From Little League to travel ball to varsity, their estimate may be conservative considering, this season alone, the two have combined to throw 1,419 pitches, only 317 of which were balls.

The most important pitches of the season are still to come, beginning with the Long Island Championship on June 7. With a talented team surrounding them -- including Tori Hyttel, Kaitlyn Davis, Dana McLaughlin and Sam Burden -- the duo hopes to advance to their first state tournament and add to their estimated 5,000 pitch count.

How far can you lead Carle Place this season?

Cole: "We have a really strong team this year and we've done so well that at this rate we might make it to states."

Iannucci: "We certainly hope we can make it to the state tournament. We want to go as far as we can but it will take all of us to get there."

Point goes to both.