Softball notebook: Copiague sees hope; Ward Melville raises awareness; milestone for Long Beach coach

Copiague catcher Shelby Haynes was in a reflective mood before her team’s last game of the season on Thursday — which also was Senior Day.

"I hope they build upon this," said Haynes, a senior, before the Eagles’ 12-0 home loss to Whitman. "I played at the [Copiague] youth league and at [Copiague] middle school. I’d love to see more girls come in and be able to play."

Joe Montanino, who has been a coach with the Nitro travel team since 2014, was named varsity head coach on April 26 for Copiague (0-16).

"I’m not afraid to take on any kind of challenge," he said. "It’s all about having a positive impact and growth."

There are good signs for the Eagles. Junior centerfielder Tierra Jones recently was named All-Division. Montanino also mentioned a few players, freshman next season, who played well at the middle-school level this year.

"We have a coach who is from outside [the school] and [coaches] travel [softball]," junior pitcher Jacquie Balzano said. "He sees where this team needs to go . . . and how we can bring Copiague and the program up."

The team plans on having winter workouts, plus Montanino already has reached out to the Copiague Little League and would like to soon hold clinics.

"If you do it right, a program can grow,´´ said Montanino, whose daughter, Chloe, is a junior first baseman/pitcher at Northport. "That’s my intention — to grow this program into becoming a possible playoff team in the future."

Patriots rally

Ward Melville held a Strike Out Cancer game against Central Islip on May 25.

The team rallied around catcher Jordi Montuori whose mother, Leigh-Anne, had a double mastectomy in December of 2019. She was not able to have two additional surgeries until June of 2020 and this past April because of COVID-19.

Patriot players, who sought donations from the local community, wore pink jerseys for the game with the name of someone they knew who had cancer, or who had passed away from the disease on their back. The team raised more than $1,200 according to coach Joseph Burger, who spearheaded the event.

"It was so moving," said Montuori, who threw out the first pitch to Jordi. "Cancer is so prevalent on Long Island. . . . They say it takes a village, and this Three Village came together and it’s just amazing."

Milestone for Long Beach's Verde

Long Beach coach Carmine Verde recorded his 450th win against Wantagh on June 2.

"I’ve had 450 great players over 34 seasons," he said. "You don’t do [450 wins] by yourself."

This season, Verde and the Marines have relied on Elaina Kassap. The senior catcher helped No. 8 Long Beach knock off top-seeded Division, 4-3, in a Nassau Class A playoff game on Wednesday with a dramatic two-run homer in the top of the seventh for win No. 452.

Verde and his wife, Gerry — who will celebrate their 43rd wedding anniversary on June 25th — have raised four sons. As far as daughters?

"My players are my daughters," said Verde, who coached junior varsity from 1981-87 before taking over varsity in 1988. "They all have Long Beach addresses."