Players of the Game
2009 First Round AA Playoff Game
PatMed vs. Eastport May 20, 2009
Eastport's Sophomore Pitcher Catherine Havens:
7 innings, 7 hits, 7 strikeouts, 2 walks, 2 earned runs.
and
Eastport's Junior First Baseman Brianna Clarke:
2 for 2, 2 singles, 2 runs, 1 RBI.
PatMed's Senior Pitcher Alexa D'Onofrio:
6 innings, 7 hits, 11 strikeouts, 4 walks, 3 earned runs.
and
PatMed's Senior First Baseman Samantha Monaco:
2 for 3, 1 single, 1 double, 1 run, 1 RBI.
See Box Scores Here
Game Rundown:
While both pitchers faced the minimum number of batters in the first inning, ESM's number five batter, senior, first baseman, Brianna Clarke hit what would prove to be Eastport's bread and butter for the day, a soft liner over the head of Patchogue Medford's shortstop, that found just enough real estate to drop in for a single. Eastport second basemen, Ashley Mendez followed and reached base on a two-strike bunt when an overthrow by the catcher at first, allowed Clarke to advance to third base. With Clarke on third, Mendez took second via defensive indifference and on the following pitch, Clarke scored Eastport's first run on a passed ball. With a 2-2 count and two outs in the inning Eastport coach, Steve Giacolone, showing the savy of a veteran who has been to the play-offs before, sent Mendez, on a delayed steal of home plate. The Eastport second baseman slid into home successfully giving Eastport their second run and setting the tone for the rest of the game. D'Onofrio answered back with a strikeout to end the inning.
After a scoreless third inning for both teams, Eastport catcher, Melanie Boccio led off the bottom of the fourth with a double that dropped in between Patchogue Medford's left and center fielders. Eastport clean-up hitter Chelsea Kull followed with a line drive to center field, Pat-Med's senior, center fielder, Nicole Morales came up throwing, and held the runner, Boccio, at third. Brianna Clarke followed with a sacrifice fly to left field, giving her an RBI and Eastport their third run of the game. With one out, Mendez hit a "texas-leaguer" that again found room in shallow left-field and gave Eastport their second run of the inning, their fourth of the game. Despite struggling to find outs and facing eight batters in the inning, D'Onofrio stranded three ESM runners when she retired the 8th batter of the inning by way of a pop-up to Pat-Med's third baseman, Holly Isenberg.
In the bottom of the fifth Patchogue centerfielder, Nicole Morales denied Eastport of a run scoring opportunity when with one out she caught a sinking line-drive and gunned-down an ESM baserunner who was attempting to tag and score from third base. That baserunner had reached on a walk, stole second base and took third on a delayed steal.
D'Onofrio would again face eight ESM batters in the bottom of the sixth, two hits, two walks and an error in the inning would give Eastport their final two runs of the game. Waving the prolific bat of the day for Eastport, Brianna Clarke led off the inning with a base hit to shallow right field; Ashley Mendez followed with a walk. Both advanced on a wild pitch and with runners on second and third, ESM third basemen, Michelle Iannone, delivered ESM's fourth seeing-eye single of the contest, driving in the team's fifth run in the form of Brianna Clarke. An untimely error on a ground ball hit by Eastport left fielder, sophomore, Devin McKinnon, cost the Raiders another run, making the score 6-0 in Eastport's favor going into the seventh.
Patchogue Medford mounted a rally in the top of the seventh inning, but unfortunately for the Raiders it was too little too late. Designated hitter, Meagan Anderson, hopped on Havens' first pitch of the inning, placing it perfectly between third and short. Not to be outdone, on the very next pitch, Pat-Med Senior, first baseman, Samantha Monaco doubled to deep left field driving in Patchogue's first run of the game. PM shortstop, Vienna Costanzo followed with a well struck line-drive to left field; with runners on second and third Havens struck out the next batter for the first out of the inning. Left fielder, junior, Molly Rooney answered back with a solid ground ball, that in spite of the diving effort of ESM shortstop, Chelsea Kull, found its way in for an infield single and drove in Pat-Med's second and final run of the game. Havens retired the next two Patchogue batters she faced, stranding runners on first and second and putting an end to Pat-Med's hopeful play-off run.
Each pitcher allowed seven hits, D'Onofrio (PM) fanned eleven ESM hitters, walked four and gave up three earned runs. Havens (ESM) struck out seven, issued two walks and allowed two earned runs. Eastport is set to face League III champion and AA three seed East Islip on Friday, May 22 at 4pm in East Islip. (McGovern/Maloney)
Final Score: Eastport 6, PatMed 2