Sophia Nicastro lifts Calhoun to first Long Island 'AA' softball title
Sophia Nicastro of Calhoun winds up for a pitch in the Long Island Class AA final at Martha Avenue Park on Saturday, June 6, 2026 in Bellport, NY. Credit: Joe Orovitz/Joe Orovitz
Sophia Nicastro made sure Calhoun’s softball team wasn’t done posing with championship plaques.
The sophomore struck out 14 and allowed two hits, four walks and one run in a complete game to lead the Colts to a 7-1 win over East Islip in the Long Island Class AA softball championship/state Regional final on Saturday at Martha Avenue Park in Bellport.
It’s the first Long Island title for Calhoun, which claimed its first Nassau title on Monday.
“This was the goal from the beginning of the year,” Nicastro said. “I knew it was possible. We have a great bunch this year. We love each other and we do everything for each other.”
Calhoun (16-12) will face Minisink Valley (Section IX) in the state semifinals at 2:30 p.m. on Friday at Greenlight Networks Grand Slam Park in Binghamton.
Nicastro walked three in the first inning and surrendered her only run on a sacrifice fly by Kayla Varga. Nicastro was lights out from then on.
“I was moving the ball more and executing pitches better,” Nicastro said. “There was more of a need to hit my spots and be pinpoint accurate against their lineup. They have a bunch of strong hitters.”
Ruthie Small’s RBI single and Nicastro’s sacrifice fly gave the Colts a 3-1 lead in the second inning. Megan Hobdy added a run on some heady baserunning and Alexa LaBarbara's single plated Selma Radoncic for a 5-1 lead.
With a five-run lead in the top of the seventh, Kaitlyn DiPaola sent a high line drive to centerfield. It just scraped over the top of the fence for a leadoff home run.
“I got to first and I said to my coach, ‘Wait, it went out?’ ” DiPaola said. “Everyone was confident that the game would end the way that we wanted it to. We were just out there having fun.”
Kate Vessalico hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh for East Islip (16-6), but Nicastro struck out the next three batters to keep the Colts’ historic season going.
“We knew Sophia was going to be special when we brought her up in eighth grade,” coach Michael Pisano said. “Her preparation for the game is unmatched. When she steps on the field, she blocks all distractions and is so focused on our mission.”
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
