Miller Place softball hits the gas, with Jessica Iavarone in driver's seat

Matt Timmons is in his first season as head coach of the Miller Place varsity softball team. He previously was the JV baseball coach for nine years.

Timmons has an interesting perspective early in his tenure with a Panthers team that has not allowed a run in its first five games and sits atop the Suffolk League VI standings.

"I inherited a Ferrari my friend," said Timmons with a laugh. "My entire goal is to not crash it."

So far, he and Miller Place (5-0) have been flawless, led by pitcher Jessica Iavarone. The junior is 4-0 in four starts with a 0.00 ERA, 49 strikeouts and two walks, and has surrendered just four hits in 22 innings. She has two no-hitters and a third combined no-no with Amelia DeRosa.

"Iavarone has been an absolute monster in the circle," he said. "She has great velocity. . . . plus, her placement and sequence of pitches is off the charts."

So is Miller Place’s hitting. The Panthers boast a lineup, including DeRosa, who is 13-for-14 (.929) with five doubles and a homer. Madison Danin is batting .600 with two homers and 13 RBIs, and Iavarone is at .667 with four extra-base hits.

Now the Panthers want a shot at their first-ever Suffolk A title.

"We’re just trying to get the reps and organization needed to compete against the likes of Sayville and Islip," Timmons said. "Hopefully we’ll be ready for a good playoff run."

Perfection

Calhoun’s Lauren DeMarco tossed a perfect game with seven strikeouts in a five-inning, 13-0 win against district-rival Bellmore JFK on May 17.

"It’s one of those things that kind of went unnoticed," first-year coach Michael Pisano said.

"The kid just absolutely loves softball," he added.

How much? After the Colts have a two-hour practice, DeMarco and her father complete a 45-minute pitching session of their own.

"It’s pretty cool," said Pisano, who was an assistant coach for six seasons. "They go over what she needs to work on."

Remembering Verdi

The Division softball field will be named Mike Verdi Field in between a doubleheader against Seaford on Saturday, according to coach Dave Radtke.

Verdi, a long-time English teacher who was an assistant coach for Radtke for 10 years, died in Sept., 2019.

Blue Dragons players will wear new jerseys with the name, Verdi, on their back for the rest of the season. Division (10-0) has already clinched the Nassau Conference I regular-season title.

"He was everything to us," said Radtke of Verdi. "He was the JV coach before I got there, and he was beloved by anybody and everybody."