By The TimesLedger
The PeeWee Girls softball team from St. Gregory’s capped off an undefeated season with a stirring come-from-behind victory over Our Lady of Hope to capture the CYO Diocesan Championship on Saturday, June 23.
St. Gregory’s came into the championship after a 15-0 regular season and victories over St. Margaret’s in the quarterfinals and St. Pancras in the semifinals, all the result of a true team effort, with every team member contributing through out the course of the season.
Theresa Quinn, Dana Guintini, Caity Brandt, and Emily Harms comprised the best infield in the league, consistently coming up play after play, including numerous double plays and an “around the horn” triple play.
With Erin O’Mahoney “setting the table” from the lead-off position and Theresa Quinn providing the power, the offense outscored their opponents 215-26 leading up to the championship game.
Courtney Hanson and Emily Harms provided stellar pitching, while Megan Concannon and Christina Damore split the duties behind the plate, each making several outstanding plays. Aly Martori, Meghan Hill, Elizabeth Shelley, Devin Corrigan and Christine Sito each came up with numerous big plays and clutch base hits, contributing to every victory.
The championship game did not start off well for St. Greg’s. But with one out in the top of the third, and Our Lady of Hope leading 8-0, a runner from Hope was thrown out in a bang-bang play at the plate. After taking a strong relay from shortstop Caity Brandt, Christina Damore applied the tag, holding onto the ball despite being knocked over and sustaining injuries that caused her to be taken out of the game.
This seemed to be just what was needed to wake St. Greg’s up. Over the next two innings they outscored Hope by a 15-1 margin. Dana Guintini, Aly Martori, Liz Shelley, Megan Concannon and Meghan Hill each provided big blows during this rally, while the base running of Erin O'Mahoney, Devin Corrigan, Courtney Hanson and Christine Sito helped to keep the innings alive.
The offensive explosion, along with key defensive plays by Theresa Quinn and Caity Brandt, and steady pitching by Emily Harms, propelled the young ladies from St. Gregory’s to victory, 17-9.
St. Gregory’s 7th-grade girls win title
The St. Gregory’s 7th-grade softball team won the diocesan championship on Saturday, June 23, against St. Stan’s of Maspeth. A solo home run by Keriann Quinn in the first inning and a two-run RBI by Francesca Cecala in the forth were all the girls needed to seal a victory in the 3-0 final game.
A fine performance by Lauren McCabe on the mound, striking out 17 and giving up only one hit, and the heads-up base running by Jillian Santos and Jillian Cruz contributed greatly to this win. The team, through the quarters, semis and finals gave up no runs and had no errors due to the outstanding performances by third baseman Nicole Terrano, shortstop Kristen Dougherty and second baseman Christina Conry. Protecting the long ball in the outfield were Brittany Hanson, Jennifer Soorko, Bree Leggio and Lauren Concannon, who also had a grand slam homer in the semifinal game.
The girls as a team had an impressive 11-1 regular season, winning their division under the leadership of head coach Lou Santos.
“The hard work at practice was carried out onto the field, they played together like a team, and won together as a team,” Coach Santos said, who could not have been prouder of the way the girls played.
St. Greg’s Novice girls win crown
The St. Gregory’s 5th-grade girls’ Novice softball team soared to a thrilling victory over St. Kevin’s to win the Diocesan Championship on Sunday June 24. The victory was achieved over a two-day period, interrupted on Saturday June 23, by a soaking rain in the bottom of the fifth inning with St. Gregory’s leading, 12-9.
Down 3-0 in the first inning, the St. Gregory’s girls courageously battled back in their half of the first, belting out five hits and scoring six runs. The team added another run in the second inning to go up 7-3.
St. Kevin’s was able to score two runs in the third inning, making it 7-5, but St. Gregory’s bats would not be silenced in the third and fourth innings either, touching up St. Kevin’s for six more runs. A driving rain allowed St. Kevin’s to score four more runs in the top of the fifth inning before the game was suspended in the bottom of the inning with St. Gregory’s holding a three-run lead.
When the game resumed the following day, St. Gregory’s pushed one run across in the bottom of the fifth, making it 13-9. Nicole Bagatta pitched brilliantly, striking out seven and battling St. Kevin’s batters, who loaded the bases in the top of the sixth. Determined to win, Bagatta got out of the bases -loaded jam by striking out the St. Kevin’s number three hitter to end the threat.
St. Gregory’s finished off St. Kevin’s scoring three more runs in the bottom of the sixth, coupled with fine defensive play by Kristen Chuber, Katie Paskor and Danielle Sharkey allowing only one more run to end the game with the final score of 16-10.
