Gabriella Zarcone's offensive fireworks spark Smithtown East softball
Smithtown East's Gabriella Zarcone slides into home plate during a game against East Islip on Saturday. Credit: Johnny Milano
Smithtown East knew an aggressive approach would pay dividends and Gabriella Zarcone put that game plan to work in the early innings.
Zarcone had four hits and scored four runs as Smithtown East defeated host East Islip, 8-3, Saturday afternoon in non-league softball.
“We knew we were in for a battle, because we went down against them last year,” the second baseman said. “We wanted to beat them on their home turf and we had the mentality to be aggressive early.”
Zarcone led off the first inning with a single and scored a run on McKenzie Morgan’s two-RBI single. Zarcone batted second in the next inning and drilled a triple to the wall, before being driven in by Amelianna Santanello’s double.
“As leadoff, I know my job is to get on and work my way around the bases,” Zarcone said. “This team pieces together hits very well, so I need to be in position to help them produce.”
Zarcone doubled in the fourth and came home on Santanello’s second hit of the game. Santanello, an eighth grader, would later score on a steal of home to put the Bulls ahead 7-0.
“My mindset is to get her (Zarcone) in and get on,” Santanello said. “We really wanted to come back here and get a win”
East Islip fought back in the bottom of the inning, scoring on Kailyn Bloch’s hit-by-pitch and getting two more runs on Alyssa Benvengo’s single.
East Islip (3-2) had runners on second and third with two outs in the fifth and Raegan O’Hara at the plate. O’Hara hit a sinking liner that Santanello made a diving catch on in leftfield.
“I don’t really think about it, it’s just instinct to do it.” Santanello said. “I know we have to back up our pitcher, so I have to make that catch no matter what.”
Zarcone led off the sixth with a triple and scored on a wild pitch to give Smithtown East (4-1) its final insurance run.
“Our goal is to get where East Islip is,” Smithtown East coach Glenn Roper said. “We want to win our league and the county championship. We feel we have a team that can do that.”
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.
