Hauppauge softball's Arielys Cortes hits walk-off, two-run single to beat Eastport-South Manor
Hauppague’s Ari Cortes is congratulated by her teammates after her walk-off single clinched a win against Eastport South Manor at Hauppauge High School on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Credit: Kathy M Helgeson
Hauppauge squandered chances for big rallies early, but Arielys Cortes made sure its final chance would be fruitful.
Cortes hit a walk-off two-run single into right field to give host Hauppauge a 5-4 win over Eastport-South Manor in Suffolk IV softball on Wednesday night.
“I made sure I was relaxed and just focused on making contact,” Cortes said. ‘If I came to the plate and rushed things, that wouldn't help me get the job done.”
Crisalyn Abruscato hit a one-out double with Hauppauge trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh. Abruscato scored on a wild pitch with two outs to trim the deficit.
“We had to start chipping away. We needed three runs to win it,” Abruscato said. “I knew I had to get on base and get the rally going.”
Kayleigh Collins drew a walk and advanced to third on a single by Julia Supper, while an error on the play allowed Supper to reach second. Cortes drove the first pitch into right field to score two runs and win the game.
“Ari [Cortes] had that hit coming. She was on pitches the whole game,” Hauppauge coach Sam Ferreri said. “She’s been one of our most consistent hitters since last season and she’s someone we rely on in the clutch. I 100 percent knew she’d get it done.”
Abruscato went 2-for-3 with a walk and Skylar Dill had two hits. Aeryn Regan struck out six and allowed two earned runs for Hauppauge (1-1). Brooke Springsteen went 3-for-4 and Alyssa Murnane struck out five for ESM (1-1).
Hauppauge loaded the bases in the first inning, but Murnane was able to work out of trouble without allowing a run for Eastport-South Manor. Hauppauge loaded the bases again in the second with no outs. Collins hit a two-run single to put the Eagles ahead 2-0.
“We were able to make in-game adjustments early,” Abruscato said. “We learned from our first at-bats and came back in the second ready to produce and get those runners in.”
Kaylee Nicoletti scored a run for ESM on an error in the third to cut the deficit to one run. Springsteen scored on a wild pitch in the fourth to tie the game.
Leah Smith singled with two outs in the fifth and Springsteen tripled to the fence in left field to give ESM a 3-2 lead. Elsie Martin doubled in the top of the seventh and scored on an error to extend ESM’s lead to 4-2, before Regan induced a pop-up to get Hauppauge out the inning.
“We knew we could come back if we just played like ourselves,” Cortes said. “We kept pushing each other to go out there and make sure we got those runs back.”
Christopher Matias covers high school sports for Newsday after spending time in Athletic Facilities and Operation at St. John’s and in Sports Information at CUNY York college.
