Newsday's All-Long Island softball team 2022
East Islip softball player Kyra Kreuscher on June 24, 2022. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Newsday Player of the Year: Kyra Kreuscher, East Islip, P, Sr.
Kreuscher is leaving behind gigantic shoes to fill at East Islip.
The senior’s 0.51 ERA and 274 strikeouts were each single-season school records and helped East Islip to its first county title since 2017. Kreuscher went 20-2 with 12 shutouts, three no-hitters and eight one-hitters.
The success was no surprise to her.
“I would say I expected it because I’ve been working really hard to get to this point,” Kreuscher said.
She also batted .535 and set school records with 45 RBIs and 14 doubles. One of Kreuscher’s six home runs gave East Islip a walk-off win over Islip in the Suffolk Class A semifinals.
“Kyra joined the swim team to get stronger and the winter track team to get faster,” coach Jason McGowan said. “She epitomizes ‘E.I. Pride’ with her hard work and dedication and she has fun doing it.”
Kreuscher will play at Seton Hall, where she will major in education.
Nassau Player of the Year: Kim Westenberg, Massapequa, P, Sr.
Massapequa pitcher Kim Westenberg strikes out a batter for the final out of Game 2 of the best-of-three Nassau Class AA final against East Meadow at Mitchel Athletic Complex on May 29, 2022. Credit: James Escher
It is no coincidence that Westenberg’s ascent has coincided with Massapequa reaching new heights.
Last season when she pitched to a 1.87 ERA, Massapequa won the Nassau Class AA title. This season she was even better, with a 0.97 ERA and striking out 159 as Massapequa won the Class AA Long Island Championship.
“Kim’s got everything, every pitch you can imagine,” coach Christina Castellani said. “She throws with confidence, and works hard, she deserves everything she gets.”
Her bat in the middle of the order anchored the lineup. The Cortland commit hit six home runs and drove in 25 runs.
First team
Clockwise, from left: Stefania Abruscato of Hauppauge, Natalie Bottligieri of Kellenberg, Bella Cruz of St. Anthony's, Amelia DeRosa of Miller Place.
Stefania Abruscato, Hauppauge, C, Jr.
The Missouri commit hit .627 with a 2.027 OPS. She hit six home runs and drove in 35 runs as she took home Suffolk County Small School Player of the Year honors.
Natalie Bottligieri, Kellenberg, OF, Sr.
The Firebirds senior hit .658 and earned Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. She scored 28 runs and had a .950 fielding percentage.
Bella Cruz, St. Anthony’s, OF, So.
Cruz was named Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA championship game MVP after notching three hits and swiping two bases in the final. The sophomore hit .522, helping the Friars to a program-record 24 wins and a state championship.
Amelia DeRosa, Miller Place, P, Sr.
The Springfield commit pitched to a 0.72 ERA and held opponents to a .167 batting average. She also had a 20-strikeout game against Mount Sinai. DeRosa batted .657 and drove in 32 runs.
Clockwise, from top left: Mila Fiordalisi of St. Anthony’s, Caroline Hobbes of Bay Shore, Maggie Miller of North Babylon, Alanna Morse of Mepham.
Mila Fiordalisi, St. Anthony’s, P, So.
A 0.88 ERA helped Fiordalisi win Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA Pitcher of the Year. The sophomore struck out 108 in 71 innings and had a 12-1 record for the state champion Friars.
Caroline Hobbes, Bay Shore, SS, Sr.
Hobbes batted .513 with 26 RBIs to lead Bay Shore to its second straight Suffolk Class AA title. The Seton Hall commit stole 20 bases and scored 30 runs, and handled 89 of 91 chances in the field.
Maggie Miller, North Babylon, P, Sr.
Miller did it all for a 20-win North Babylon team. The senior won 16 games, had a 1.19 ERA, hit .537 and drove in 26 runs.
Alanna Morse, Mepham, 3B, Sr.
The backbone of the Pirates' offense had 21 extra-base hits and a 1.026 slugging percentage. The Hofstra commit drove in 33 runs as Mepham claimed its second straight Class A Long Island title.
Julia Renny, Syosset, 3B, Sr.
Renny batted .571 with a 1.924 OPS. She smacked nine home runs and nine doubles with 30 RBIs and 27 walks. She’ll play at Providence next year.
Clockwise, frorm left: Julia Renny of Syosset, Ryan Starr of Massapequa, Alyssa Weinberg of Division, Lily Yepez of Mepham.
Ryan Starr, Massapequa, SS, Sr.
Massapequa’s leadoff hitter had a .538 average, .615 OBP and 26 steals. The Syracuse commit reached base five times and scored four runs in Massapequa’s first Class AA Long Island championship win.
Alyssa Weinberg, Division, P, Sr.
Weinberg batted .533 with a 1.493 OPS, four home runs and 26 RBIs. The Fairfield commit pitched to a 2.36 ERA with 204 strikeouts in 112 innings.
Lily Yepez, Mepham, OF, Jr.
Mepham’s table-setter had herself quite a season atop the lineup. She scored 42 runs, hit .557 and had a .617 on-base percentage.
Nassau Coach of the Year: Michael Pisano, Calhoun
Pisano guided Calhoun through a late-season, eight-game winning streak to clinch the Nassau Conference II regular-season title and culminated with a sweep of top-seeded MacArthur in the Class A semifinals.
Suffolk Coach of the Year: Jason McGowan, East Islip
In his 10th season, McGowan fielded a team with just one senior and excelled. East Islip won 23 games and the Suffolk Class A championship.
Second Team
Amanda Audia, Mt. Sinai, 2B, Jr.: She batted .508 with a 1.633 OPS. Audia hit eight home runs with 35 RBI and 30 runs scored.
Kiara Bellido, Floyd, SS, So.: Bellido batted .574 with 10 homers, 35 RBI and a 1.874 OPS.
Sarah Blaskiewicz, Sayville, C, Jr.: The junior posted a .575 average and 1.430 OPS with two home runs and 31 RBI.
Taylor Brunn, MacArthur, P, Jr.: Brunn threw two no-hitters and posted a 1.75 ERA with 103 strikeouts in 72 innings.
Makayla Comer, West Islip, 1B, Jr.: She batted .554 with a 1.709 OPS, three home runs and 23 RBI.
Marissa Formosa, Smithtown East, SS, Jr.: Formosa batted .586 with four home runs, 34 RBI and 24 runs scored.
Hailey Guerrero, Mepham, SS, Sr.: Guerrero hit four home runs and seven doubles with 29 RBI, 11 stolen bases and a 1.282 OPS.
Grace Heim, Kings Park, P/UTIL, Jr.: Heim batted .452 with seven homers runs and 26 RBI while pitching to a 2.02 ERA.
Caitlyn Herzing, West Islip, P, Sr.: She had a 1.08 ERA, two no-hitters and 159 strikeouts while batting .392 with 20 RBI.
Brooke Leimeister, Lindenhurst, P, Sr.: The Suffolk Large School Pitcher of the Year earned 16 wins with a 1.02 ERA.
Kaeli McAnally, Islip, SS, Sr.: She batted .618 with 19 RBI, 24 runs scored, nine doubles and 11 stolen bases.
Emily McGurk, Babylon, SS, Sr.: She batted .535 with three home runs, nine doubles, 22 RBI and 29 runs scored.
Meghan McGurk, Babylon, P, So.: She had a 1.95 ERA and three no-hitters and batted .508 with four home runs and 29 RBI.
Lauren McSweeney, Islip, P, So.: McSweeney had 179 strikeouts in 133 innings while batting .475 with two home runs and 24 RBI.
Catherine Meyers, Sayville, P, Sr.: Meyers struck out 181, had a 1.98 ERA and pitched a one-hitter against Mount Sinai in the playoffs.
Jaclyn Morra, St. Anthony’s, SS, So.: Morra hit .493 and drove in 41 runs, while striking out just twice.
Stefani Murciano, Herricks, OF, Jr.: Murciano hit eight home runs and drove in 40 runs while maintaining a .667 batting average.
Madison Picerno, North Babylon, SS, Jr.: Picerno hit .549 with 29 RBI and scored 32 runs.
Ashley Pierce, Hicksville, SS/3B, Sr.: Pierce had a .500 average with six home runs and 34 RBI.
Mackenzie White, Sachem North, P, Sr.: White had a 1.98 ERA with 112 strikeouts to go with a .416 batting average.
