Jessica Deptulski, Gianna Cilluffo hit back-to-back HRs as Rocks take Nassau 'B' crown

Any time the East Rockaway softball team had its backs to the wall this season, the Rocks found a way to get the job done.

Game 3 of the Nassau Class B final was no different. Jessica Deptulski and Gianna Cilluffo hit back-to-back homers in the top of the eighth for No. 4 East Rockaway in its 5-3 county title win over No. 2 Locust Valley Thursday.

"We overcome everything,'' Cilluffo said. "We fought to be here and wanted this so bad. We know that we deserve to be here and it feels great."

The Rocks (22-5) were down 3-0 at one point to the Falcons (3-15) but tied the score on Caitlin O'Mara's leadoff homer in the seventh.

O'Mara, who struck out in two previous at-bats, made up for it in a big way.

"I got mad at myself after having two strikeouts, so I thought I had to step it up," O'Mara said. "I saw that one coming down the middle and I was like, 'This is mine.' I just took it and drove it."

Said East Rockaway coach Joe Lores: "One of the things that I said to the kids on the way home was I couldn't be prouder. Every time they could have been eliminated, they won. It says a lot about them."

SEE PHOTOSEast Rockaway 5, Locust Valley 3