Floral Park's Giovaniello outduels Plainedge's Daubman

When Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks famously said, "Let's play two," this probably wasn't what he had in mind. Samantha Giovaniello's dad tossed her an energy drink in the 14th inning, and the trash can by the Plainedge dugout had piled up with Gatorade and soda bottles. It was that kind of game.

But after three hours and 46 minutes - a Yankees-Red Sox time - and 15 innings, Lindsay Trifon slapped an opposite-field single down the leftfield line that sent Lindsay Epstein home . . . and, finally, everybody else.

The scoreboard, which by then had stopped counting innings, read: 1-0, Floral Park, Monday in the first game of a best-of-three series for the Class A Nassau softball championship.

"Getting the winning hit is a dream," said Trifon, who ended the game not long before everyone's bedtime. Epstein had started the inning at second because of the International Tiebreaker Rule. "We should've done that six innings before."

Should've, would've, couldn't. The other games at Mitchel Athletic Complex had long been over, so spectators gathered 'round to watch a pitchers' duel for the ages.

Michelle Daubman scattered seven hits and fanned 20 for No. 3 Plainedge.

Giovaniello gave up eight hits and struck out a career-high 27, including 12 in extra innings, for the top-seeded Knights (19-4).

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"My arm feels like rubber, I'm so beat," said the sophomore, whose previous high was 20 strikeouts. "I've never in my life played a game this long. As soon as I get home, I'm going to sleep a lot."

She'll need it. Game 2 will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Both teams had several chances in extra innings (essentially, the second game), and the Red Devils (17-6) almost won it in the 13th. Tina Zollo bunted to third on a squeeze and Nicole O'Connor was called out at home on a bang-bang play.

"Every time we ended an inning, I was just hoping it would be the last," said Daubman, who began icing her right shoulder immediately after the game.

Giovaniello demonstrated Houdini-like escapability throughout, stranding 16 runners in scoring position.

"This is the longest game I've ever been a part of in 27 years," Knights coach Dan Sackman said. "[Giovaniello] just gets tougher with runners on. She's the most mentally tough kid I've ever had."

East Meadow wins. Lindsay McKillop pitched a three-hitter with three strikeouts and hit a two-run homer to lead the top-seeded Jets (17-1) to a 5-1 win over No. 6 MacArthur in Game 1 of the Class AA finals.

Carle Place wins. Ashley Cole threw a four-hitter with 12 strikeouts and drove in the first run for No. 1 Carle Place in a 3-0 win over No. 2 Oyster Bay in Game 1 of the Class B finals. Leanne Iannucci homered.

East Rockaway wins. Kerrianne Vulpis went 4-for-5 with two RBIs for No. 2 East Rockaway (14-5) in an 8-6 victory over No. 1 Friends Academy in Game 1 of the Class C finals.