Taylor pitches, hits Kings Park to finals

Kings Park originally was supposed to play its Class A semifinal home game at 3 p.m. but rescheduled it for 11 a.m., hoping to avoid the afternoon heat and take advantage of whatever cool air was blowing Saturday morning. As it turned out, the breeze wasn't needed: The coolest thing around the diamond turned out to be the Kingsmen's pitcher.

"Once again, in the circle, there's not words to explain what Lindsay Taylor did," coach Kim McGinley said. "Dominated. Kept the ball down. The defense had her back, and she just stayed in control."

Taylor pitched a two-hitter and launched a two-run home run as No. 1 Kings Park beat No. 5 Islip, 4-0. Kings Park (20-2) will host No. 2 Sayville in Game 1 of the best-of-three finals at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Taylor allowed two infield singles and allowed only one ball to reach the outfield. She struck out seven, one of the rare times this season she hasn't reached double-digits in strikeouts.

"Islip was a little more aggressive toward us," McGinley said. "They started off trying to frazzle us with small ball, and we had to change some things around."

Taylor turned to her bread-and-butter curveball to maintain control, and in the third inning at the plate, she turned on a one-out pitch, smashing it over the fence in center for a two-run homer.

"If I don't have my best stuff pitching, I know my team has my back," she said. "And I know I can help myself out and get us ahead, where we should be."

SEE PHOTOSKings Park 4, Islip 0

Kings Park added some cushion in the fifth when Cheyenne Giarraputo reached on an error, Taylor walked with two outs and both scored on Reina Torlincasi's double.

But that was the extent of the damage against Islip eighth-grade hurler Marissa Wilson, who allowed only four hits and two earned runs.

"She's been a warrior," Islip coach Dennis McSweeney said. "Tough for us all year."

The best chance for Islip to score came in the third, when Kayla Kurka worked a one-out walk and broke for second on a bunt attempt. The bunt was missed but the throw to second trickled into centerfield, and Kurka kept running. She slid home and was ruled out on a close play after a perfect Kings Park relay.

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The only other time Islip (13-9) got a runner to third base was in the fifth, when a two-out error put runners at first and third. But Taylor got a grounder to third to end the inning.

After their loss in the Class A finals last season, the Kingsmen are taking a different approach this time around. "This year we don't take anything for granted," Taylor said. "We know we need this and we have to work hard."

But don't mistake work ethic for a lack of belief. Not missing a beat, Taylor's trademark pluck shined through: "But I'm confident we're going to win it in two games."