McKenna, Daubman lift Plainedge
Plainedge pitcher Michele Daubman delivers to the plate against Floral Park in the Nassau County Softball Class A semifinals. (May 19, 2011) Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Michele Daubman is better known for what she does with a softball rather than a crystal ball, but Thursday she accurately predicted Stephanie McKenna's future.
"Michele said to me before I got up there, 'Taylor [Curran] is going to get on, I'm going to get on and you're going to bring us in,' " McKenna said. "I got up there and was just looking to drive the ball and win it for my team."
With one swing, Daubman's prediction and McKenna's objective came true.
Taylor Curran and Daubman walked and McKenna lofted a long fly to leftfield that couldn't be caught. It landed just fair for a walk-off single as Curran scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning, sending top-seeded Plainedge to a 2-1 win over No. 5 Floral Park in a Class A semifinal at Mitchel Field.
"Steph is clutch in those situations, so I just knew she needed to be told that she was going to do it," Daubman said. "I knew she was going to come through."
In a rematch of last season's county final, Daubman allowed nine hits with eight strikeouts and no walks, and Floral Park's Sam Giovanniello allowed four hits and six walks, striking out 12.
After Jaclyn Fiumara's bunt single loaded the bases in the second inning, Kaitlyn Finnen drew a walk to force home Jacklyn Oleksak and put Plainedge ahead 1-0.
Floral Park tied it in the top of the sixth inning as Samantha Perri followed singles by Melissa Correa and Allison Bostrom with an RBI double to right.
Plainedge (19-1) will play No. 3 Seaford in a best-of-three series for the county championship beginning Monday at Mitchel Field.
"This is absolutely amazing for us," McKenna said. "This is our time. This is our year."
Montemarano leads Seaford comeback. The mantra of the Seaford softball team's season is simply "never give up." Facing a seven-run deficit yesterday, Seaford didn't.
Lindsay Montemarano capped a nine-run third inning with a go-ahead three-run triple, propelling No. 3 Seaford to a 15-9 win over No. 2 Island Trees at Mitchel Field.
Montemarano went 3-for-3 with six RBIs, including a three-run double in a six-run fourth inning.
Nicole Nulty went 5-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored, Victoria Wink was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Courtney Carbone went 2-for-4 with three RBIs as Seaford (12-5) exploded for 24 hits.
"We have a lot of heart," Montemarano said. "Nobody even thought we would be competitive this season and we proved everyone wrong. We really never quit."
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
