Farmingdale's Corrao leads Game 1 win

As friends turned sudden adversaries with the game on the line, Isabella Corrao refused to issue an IBB to her BFF.

After Samantha Miller and Danielle Cutuli singled to start the top of the seventh inning, Farmingdale's Corrao needed to make a decision: a) pitch to her close friend and longtime travel ball teammate Jamie Laird, one of Nassau's dangerous hitters or b) walk her and put the tying runs in scoring position.

"I love Jamie and I have total respect for her," Corrao said. "We were contemplating whether to walk her or not because that seemed like a good thing to do. But I didn't want to walk her."

When Laird connected, it sounded like a bad decision between friends. But her long drive to deep center was hit directly to Emily Dorso. The runner at second was then called out on an appeal after leaving too early on a tag attempt, making for an unpopular call that thwarted a potential rally. Corrao closed out the inning as No. 2 Farmingdale beat No. 4 East Meadow, 3-1, in Game 1 of the best-of-three Nassau Class AA finals Monday at Mitchel Athletic Complex.

"It means a lot to have the advantage," Corrao said. "But we still need one more, so we really can't back down."

Kerri Ossenfort gave Corrao some early run support in the bottom of the first inning. The sophomore second baseman singled to right, scoring Corrao and Dorso, who slid into the catcher and knocked the ball loose after a perfect throw by rightfielder Marisa San Antonio.

Jenna Crawford followed with an RBI single to bring home Kat Zabielski for a 3-0 lead.

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"I really wanted to support my team and come out with a hit," Ossenfort said. "We needed some insurance runs and we ended up closing them down."

Corrao, who allowed five hits, struck out 12 and walked four, was able to close East Meadow down thanks in part to some help from her defense. With two on and one out in the top of the fourth, leftfielder Emily Finkel made a snow-cone catch on a line drive ripped by East Meadow's Madison West to save two runs.

West later cut the lead to 3-1 in the top of the sixth with an RBI single that drove in Taylor Conti. Corrao then struck out the next three batters.

After the three-run first by Farmingdale, East Meadow pitcher Kerri Shapiro didn't allow another baserunner until the sixth. She allowed five hits, struck out seven and walked two in six innings.

Farmingdale (13-5) will look to close out East Meadow (10-7) and clinch the county championship in Game 2 at 4 p.m. Monday at Mitchel.

"East Meadow is a great ballclub and can come back at anytime," Farmingdale coach Laura Malone said. "We just have to play our game and hopefully the softball gods will be here with us."