State championship softball preview

CLASS AA

Bay Shore (25-1) vs. Clarence (21-2)

Semifinals, 11 a.m.; final, 3:30 p.m.

The Marauders are looking for their seventh state title and first since 2005. Bay Shore beat East Meadow, 1-0, on Tuesday to win its 10th Long Island Class AA title and advance to the state tournament. The team has scored 284 runs and has a .460 batting average. Every player with at least 50 at-bats has an average over .350, and six regulars have walked more than they have struck out.

Kelsey Fischer is hitting .400, Taylor McGowan is batting .419 and playing a quality second base when she's not pitching and freshman seventh-place hitter Giana Panariello is hitting .391 and continues to get big hit after big hit.

Cat Franzone leads the team with six home runs and is tied with Liz Weber for the team lead in RBIs with 39. Weber, the leadoff hitter, leads the team in hits (53), stolen bases (10), walks (13), doubles (12), runs (41), batting average (.582) and on-base percentage (.635).

Weber also has been a formidable pitcher in the playoffs, going 5-1 with a 1.12 ERA following a 10-0 regular season in which she had a microscopic 0.64 ERA. The Marauders' combination of shutdown pitching and defense allowed only 23 runs throughout 2010.

SEE PHOTOSHigh school sports -- June

CLASS A

Floral Park (21-5) vs. Pearl River (21-3) or Cornwall (22-2)

Semifinals, 1:30 p.m.; final, 5 p.m.

After beating Eastport-South Manor for the Long Island title on Tuesday, the defending state Class A champions earned themselves another trip to Saturday's state tournament at Waterloo High School.

"It's a long ride but one we look forward to," coach Dan Sackman said. "There isn't much to do or see up there, but our schedule is pretty booked up anyway."

The Knights face the winner of today's Pearl River-Cornwall game in a semifinal. They've never seen Cornwall before, but Pearl River is the team they beat in last year's state championship.

Pitcher Sam Giovanniello leads Floral Park. Lefty speedster Lindsay Trifon sparks the offense, an aggressive unit, and the thump comes from Giovanniello, Sara Yackel and Melissa Correa.

"The girls know a little more of what to expect this time," Sackman said. "But after you win it all, you become a little bit of a target."

But there won't be a motivational speech. "Just play hard and have fun," the coach said. "I don't have to give them much more than that. If we play our game, we'll have a good chance so we don't worry much about the other team."