Halle Sacharoff's seventh-inning double puts Herricks softball in driver's seat
Halle Sacharoff, Herricks catcher, connects for a two-run double with one out in the top of the seventh inning to tie host Island Trees 5-5 in a Nassau Conference III softball game on Wednesday. Credit: James Escher
Resilience was key for Herricks in a big win on Wednesday night. When the team needed to deliver it got big hits and none bigger than Halle Sacharoff’s in the top of the seventh inning.
Herricks entered the seventh inning down 5-2, but they refused to quit and scored three runs to tie the score. Emma Yen got things started with a leadoff single and scored three batters later on Stefani Murciano’s RBI single. Avery Stuart drew a walk next and then Sacharoff launched a double into the gap to score two runs and tie it.
“I knew I just needed to get on, not try to swing for the fences,” Sacharoff said “The pitches were starting to get wild, and I was able to just rip it.”
Herricks defeated host Island Trees 8-5 in nine innings in Nassau III softball on Wednesday night. Stefani Murciano had two hits and two RBIs to help Herricks recover from an early 4-0 deficit. Yen had two hits and scored two runs. Emily Coffey hit a double and reached base five times for Island Trees (11-5).
“We could’ve just packed it in since we were down from the beginning, but we showed we could keep it together,” Sacharoff said. “We just had to play like we were down by five each inning, and work together to get the lead.”
Pitcher Danielle Donahue induced and fielded a ground ball for Island Trees which allowed the team to cut down the go-ahead run. A grounder to first base got Island Trees out of the top of the seventh.
After eighth grader Madison Nell held Island Trees scoreless in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings, Herricks (12-6) put together a rally to take the lead.
Sophia Pisacano led off the ninth with a double. Murciano once again had a big hit, lacing a triple into the gap to drive home the go-ahead run. An RBI single by Stuart made the score 7-5 and an error on a single by Aliyah Begawala brought Stuart home with Herricks' eighth run.
Nell would slam the door shut by striking out two in the bottom of the ninth. She ended her day with nine strikeouts and didn’t allow a hit in the final four innings.
“Madison has been our rock,” Herricks coach Warren Webster said. “She settles in, doesn’t seem to get rattled and just plays her game.”
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.
