East Hampton softball rallies to top Rocky Point and keep playoff hopes in good shape
East Hampton's MJ Vickers drills a two-run homer on Wednesday. Credit: George A. Faella
MJ Vickers was robbed of an extra-base hit by a diving Raylee Weisman in left-centerfield in her previous at-bat.
With East Hampton trailing by a run when she stepped to the plate in the top of the fifth inning, Vickers decided to put the ball where only a spectator could catch it.
The junior launched a two-out, two-run home run to rightfield to give the visiting Bonackers the lead in their 10-5 win over Rocky Point in Suffolk League V softball on Wednesday.
“I was just thinking that I have to be relaxed, make contact and get on base,” Vickers said. “And then it just went over. It felt good off the bat, but I couldn’t tell if it was gone. I was so happy.”
The blast gave East Hampton a 6-5 lead as the Bonackers erased a 4-0 first-inning deficit. Olivia Dodge started the fifth inning with a double to right and scored on a single to center by Colleen McKee, who later scored on a throwing error to cut the deficit to 5-4.
“We were down four in the first inning. That’s hard to battle back from,” coach Melissa Edwards said. “They don’t give up. They’re a phenomenal group of ladies, phenomenal fighters.”
Ella Abran entered the circle to start the second inning. She pitched to contact and trusted her defense, recording no strikeouts in six innings of relief. She allowed one run and seven hits. East Hampton’s only error came in the first inning.
“Her presence is so calming. I never see her get emotional,” catcher Susie DiSunno said. “She’s never stressed. Once she steps in the circle, she just has one face.”
Vickers went 3-for-4 with a double, four RBIs and two runs, Lydia Rowan went 3-for-5 with a triple, two RBIs and a run and DiSunno went 3-for-4.
Weisman went 2-for-3 with a run and Taylor Aschettino had a double, a run and an RBI for Rocky Point (11-4, 11-3). A week earlier, the Eagles clinched their first playoff berth since 2017.
East Hampton (7-7, 7-6) kept its playoff hopes in good shape with the win. The Bonackers need to win three of their remaining five games to clinch their first playoff appearance since the abbreviated 2021 season.
“It’s a long time coming,” said DiSunno, a senior. “We kept getting so close. We were one game away last year. Obviously, this is my last year, so I really want to get this.”
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
