Sachem North softball offensive machine powered by Delaney Mathes and Isabella Kriklava
Sachem celebrates after a home run during a Suffolk softball game against host North Babylon on Wednesday. Credit: Kelvin Loarca
The Sachem North softball team has gotten off to a scorching hot start.
With Delaney Mathes and Isabella Kriklava rolling, its lineup is tough to stop.
Mathes went 3-for-3 with a home run and five RBIs and Kriklava went 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs to lead visiting Sachem North to a 21-3 win in five innings over North Babylon in Suffolk League II softball Wednesday morning.
Sachem North (6-0) has scored 73 runs in its first six games, including 48 in the last three.
“I think we have a lineup that teams fear,” said Mathes, a junior Stony Brook commit. “We have a really strong lineup. I can count on every single person to get a hit or get on base. If I don’t get on base, I know [Kriklava] is after me and she’ll pick me up.”
Kriklava opened the scoring in the top of the first with a two-run double to right-centerfield and Hayley Moore followed with a two-run double to left. It kicked off a 12-run first inning, which was capped by Mathes’ monstrous grand slam to rightfield.
“I feel like that’s why I’m fifth in the lineup, because I know how to find a hole and start the rally,” Kriklava said. “When I’m on deck, I know I have to be ready to hit, even with two outs, because I know Delaney is going to get on base.”
Makayla Rimmer went 1-for-2 with a double and three RBIs and Marissa Mazzone went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Alexa Furman and Arianna Rodriguez each went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI for North Babylon (3-2).
All but two players returned from last year’s Sachem North team that won five elimination games to reach the Suffolk Class AAA final, which it lost, 4-1, to Riverhead. After coming so close to winning the program’s first county title, Sachem North is hungrier than ever.
Said Mathes: “We want to win a county title so bad after last year.”
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
