Diamond Stars: Long Island's top baseball and softball performers this week
Erin McDaid of Smithtown West pictured on Saturday, April 13, 2024 in Smithtown. Credit: Dawn McCormick
There were quite a few stars on the diamond this week. We had some clutch hitting, including a go-ahead seventh-inning grand slam by Olivia DeMicco of Carle Place softball and a walk-off grand slam by Michael Oliveto of Hauppauge baseball.
Dylan Vikara went 8-for-12 with two home runs, 15 RBIs and six runs scored for the Clarke baseball team, which went 4-0 this week.
But it was the dominance of Long Island’s pitchers that took center stage. And no one did it better than Erin McDaid of the Smithtown West softball team. She tied her own school record with 18 strikeouts in a 4-0 win over Eastport-South Manor. She also had 14 strikeouts in a 10-3 win over Comsewogue and 14 in a 9-0 victory over Deer Park earlier in the week. McDaid is Newsday’s Diamond Star of the week.
SOFTBALL
Emily Almache, Carey: She went 4-for-4 with two doubles, four RBIs and two runs in a 10-7 win over Division.
Emily Balducci, Massapequa: She went 2-for-3 with a double and four RBIs in a 14-10 win over Calhoun. She also had a double and scored a run in a 5-2 win over Bellmore JFK.
Emily Bouros, West Islip: She went 3-for-4 and struck out 19 batters in an 8-1 win over East Hampton.
Olivia DeMicco, Carle Place: She had three hits, including a go-ahead grand slam in the top of the seventh in an 11-7 win over Long Beach.
Susan Dominici, Patchogue-Medford: She hit a walk-off RBI double in a 2-1 win over Floyd.
Lucy Feigenbaum, Half Hollow Hills: She pitched a four-hit shutout and drove in the only run in a 1-0 win over Sachem East.
Nicolette Ferraro, Syosset: She hit a walk-off double in the eighth inning of a 4-3 win over Farmingdale. She also struck out 10 and allowed five hits in eight innings.
Mila Fiordalisi, St. Anthony’s: She threw a no-hitter and struck out 15 in a 7-0 win over Kellenberg.
Lily McGrath, South Side: She pitched a five-inning no-hitter and struck out 12 in a 14-0 win over Jericho.
Lauren McSweeney, Islip: She struck out 16 in a one-hitter and went 2-for-4 in a 7-1 win over Mount Sinai.
Kayla O'Boyle, Commack: She struck out 15 and allowed two hits in the circle and hit a three-run homer in a 7-1 win over Northport.
Sofia Ramirez, East Rockaway: She pitched a five-inning no-hitter and struck out 11 in a 14-0 win over Great Neck North. She also went 2-for-2 with four RBIs and two runs scored.
Megan Scott, Farmingdale: She hit a grand slam in the fifth inning of a 7-4 win over Oceanside.
BASEBALL
Calvin Adam, West Islip: The senior struck out 13 and allowed two hits in 6 2/3 innings in an 8-2 win over Bellport.
Tyler Bonsignore, MacArthur: The lefty struck out 16 and allowed two hits in an 8-1 win over Great Neck South.
Hunter Colagrande, Kings Park: He pitched a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts and one walk in a 3-0 win over Sayville.
Michael D’Ambrosio, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK: He allowed one hit in five scoreless innings and struck out eight in a 9-0 win over Valley Stream Central. He also hit a two-run home run in top of the first, tripled later in the game and finished with five RBIs.
Mike DiGiuseppe, Lindenhurst: He went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, a stolen base and a run scored in a 4-0 win over previously unbeaten Commack. He also pitched three scoreless innings.
Patrick Donahue, Hampton Bays: He struck out 14 and allowed just two hits in 6 2/3 innings in an 8-0 win over Harborfields. He also scored three runs and stole four bases.
Jack Finkelstein, Bellmore JFK: He struck out eight and allowed just one hit in a five-inning complete game 10-0 win over Hewlett. He also had a double and four RBIs.
Nick Frusco, Miller Place: He struck out six and allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings in a 4-1 win over Mount Sinai. He went 2-for-3 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored.
Jaden Grose, Whitman: He pitched a no-hitter, striking out 14 and walking two in a 6-0 win over Patchogue-Medford. He threw 107 pitches.
Gabe Klarikaitis, Holy Trinity: He fired a complete-game shutout with nine strikeouts in a 1-0 win over Chaminade.
Michael Oliveto, Hauppauge: He hit a one-out, walk-off grand slam to right-center field in a 10-7 win over East Islip. He finished 3-for-5 with five RBIs.
Connor Quinn, Wheatley: He tossed a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts and one walk in a 5-0 win over East Rockaway.
Jack Tate, Wantagh: He struck out 15 in 6 1/3 innings in a 3-0 win over Lynbrook.
Nick Zampieron, Comsewogue: He struck out seven and allowed three hits in a 12-0 win over Deer Park. He went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
With Matt Lindsay
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
