Oronges sisters combine for key run in Wantagh's win over Herricks
Daniella Oronges of Wantagh says no to the high pitch during a Nassau softball game against Herricks on Friday in New Hyde Park. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Daniella Oronges was supposed to bunt the runners over, but she missed.
With her speedy twin sister, Adrianna, on second base, the junior realized she just needed the ball to find outfield grass to get a run in.
Down 1-2 in the count, Daniella lined a single to centerfield and Adrianna rounded third base to score the go-ahead run in Wantagh’s 9-7 win over host Herricks in Nassau Conference II softball on Friday.
“It’s easier having that speed on the bases,” Daniella said. “Our whole team is pretty fast. Knowing anyone can score on anything to the outfield is great.”
The single gave Wantagh a 6-5 lead in a five-run sixth inning.
“I just knew that if someone got the ball to drop, I was going home,” Adrianna said. “I was pretty confident that Daniella was going to get a hit because she’s good in high-pressure situations.”
A few batters later, Angelina Bendetti gave Wantagh some breathing room when she drove in Daniella and Casey Kissinger on a single to center for her fourth hit of the game.
Bendetti capped off a blazing-hot week by going 4-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs. She hit a grand slam in a win over Carey on Monday and added a solo home run on Wednesday as Wantagh defeated Plainedge.
“I’ve been trying to stay away from high pitches and swing at the low ones,” Bendetti said. “I try to hit line drives because if I think about hitting home runs, I’ll whiff. You’ve got to think small to get big.”
Jacqueline Mundy plated Bella Bartilucci for Wantagh’s final run on a single up the middle.
Herricks (11-3, 13-3) threatened in the bottom of the seventh as Gabrielle Murciano drove in Sophia Pisacano and Aliyah Begawala to cut the deficit to two. But eighth-grade pitcher Lucy Olore worked out of the jam, as Devin Shah lined out to Emma Priest in left field to end the game.
Wantagh (11-4, 11-4) fell, 5-2, to Herricks when they met on April 13. This time around, Wantagh was better prepared for Herricks’ freshman pitcher, Madison Nell, who has been dominant this season.
“She puts great spin on her ball,” Wantagh coach Christine Moran said. “We worked on tracking that type of spin a decent bit in practice and I think that definitely made a difference today.”
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
