Caroline Hobbes' walk-off hit gives Bay Shore softball victory over Commack

Bay Shore’s Caroline Hobbes follows some simple rules at the plate.

"See the ball, hit the ball," she said. "If it’s a strike, I’m swinging." She added: "The faster it comes in, the harder it goes out."

All three applied for Hobbes on the last pitch of the game from Commack ace Emmi Katz.

The Marauders junior shortstop sent an 0-and-2 pitch just past a diving Commack fielder up the middle with one out that allowed Rosalynda Russo to score from second base in the bottom of the eighth inning. Host Bay Shore won in walk-off fashion against first-place Commack, 1-0, in a Suffolk League II game at Fifth Avenue School’s Jim McGowan Field on Monday.

"I was going to battle," Hobbes said, "whether it was 0-and-2 or 3-and-0."

It was interesting that Commack (9-3, 9-2 Suffolk II) pitched to Hobbes, who was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and had reached base in all three at-bats before her game-winner.

"I told her before the at-bat, ‘They’re either going to walk you or attack you,’ " Marauders coach Jackie Pasquerella said. "I wouldn’t want anyone else up there but Caroline with the winning run on second base."

SEE PHOTOSPhotos: Bay Shore vs. Commack softball

Russo opened the eighth with a single to leftfield for Bay Shore (8-6, 7-4 Suffolk II). The Marauders’ No. 9 hitter had struck out in her previous two at-bats, but that included an 11-pitch at-bat in the third inning.

"I had been getting my timing down on her," said Russo, who stole second base to set up Hobbes. "I knew if I got on [base] my team would bring me in."

She also picked up on something about the Commack outfielders in warm-ups.

"I noticed they didn’t have the best arms," Russo said. "I knew if we got a hit, they were going to have to cut the ball off, and I could score."

That’s exactly what happened as Russo easily slid home ahead of a high throw for the game’s only run.

Both pitchers were solid for their respective teams. Katz went 7 ⅓ innings and allowed seven hits with eight strikeouts and one walk. She also had a one-out single in the seventh, but Commack couldn’t solve Bay Shore pitcher Deanna Ebert.

The junior scattered five hits with three strikeouts and no walks over eight innings and didn’t allow a runner past second base.

"There’s nothing better than a walk-off win, especially in extra innings," Pasquerella said. "I told them throughout the game, ‘Be the hero. Make somebody remember you,’ and they did that."

Simply put.