Havens' arm, bat key to Sharks' victory
Showing she can also swing the bat, Eastport-South Manor's Catherine Havens hits a single in Eastport-South Manor win. (May 14, 2010) Credit: Photo by Patrick E. McCarthy
In the circle and at the plate, Catherine Havens was in the driver's seat Friday.
The junior threw a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts in leading Eastport-South Manor over Islip, 2-1, in League V softball. She also went 4-for-4 and started the rally that produced what proved to be the game's deciding run.
"I was in a really weird hitting zone," said the 5-foot ace, sounding surprised herself. "I was just seeing everything."
With her teammates screaming "Two-out rally!" in the top of the fifth, what she saw from Islip's Alex DeVries was an inside pitch, and she lashed it into the right-centerfield gap for her second double.
Amber Jones followed with a single to center that sent Havens home with a hook slide and gave the Sharks (14-3) a 2-0 lead.
"It was a changeup and I knew to wait for it," Jones said. "Against a tough pitcher, it was nice knowing we had a two-run lead for the moment."
But in the bottom of the frame, the Buccaneers made some noise - literally.
With their purple plastic clappers teaming with the typical chants on Senior Day, DeVries crushed a low fastball over the fence in straightaway center to put Islip (10-7) on the board and break up Havens' no-hitter.
"It was like a morgue, and we were wondering if we could," Islip coach Dennis McSweeney said. "After that, it got everyone up and thinking we can."
Havens made certain they didn't. Without a visit to the circle, she regrouped and bore down, getting a strikeout and inducing two groundouts to third, the second a spectacular diving stop over the bag by Michelle Iannone.
"Catherine's got ice in her veins," said coach Steve Giacolone, who got his 300th win Tuesday in Havens' no-hitter. "Whether it's a bunt hit or a 300-foot homer, nothing rattles her."
Added McSweeney: "She might get overlooked sometimes because she's not a hulking pitcher, but she can throw with anyone."
Eastport got its first run in the fourth on Ashley Mendez's RBI groundout to short, which was set up by Melanie Boccio's single and heads-up baserunning. She moved to second on a wild pitch and got to third on a delayed steal.
"We gave our hearts," said DeVries, who scattered six hits and fanned nine. "Catherine was just amazing."
Jacquai Alvarado led off the seventh with a single, igniting Islip and the home crowd.
But Havens, with her curveballs and changeups on the corner, struck out the side to ensure the Bucs stopped there.
