By Anthony Bosco
St. Francis Prep’s Kristen McEvitt and The Mary Louis Academy’s Stephanie Godziewski have been battling it out on the softball field since freshman year, two of the most dominant pitchers in the city going head-to-head in meaningful games.
The two ace softball pitchers — teammates on the travel Diamond Queens team — hooked up again Friday afternoon as the previously unbeaten Hilltoppers were narrowly defeated by McEvitt’s Terriers, 2-0, in a game that defined the term “pitchers’ duel” at Cunningham Park.
The Boston College-bound McEvitt allowed just one hit while recording her second shutout in five days. Godziewski was the hard-luck loser, striking out seven, but allowing five hits and two unearned runs in a game that all but guaranteed Prep sole possession of second place in the race for the CHSAA crown.
“They definitely have the best hitting team in the league,” McEvitt said afterward, the nails on her pitching hand showing the scars of her multiple-pitch arsenal. “I don’t know what was going on today. The changeup was definitely on today.”
Still recovering from a stomach virus, McEvitt sought to avenge her lone loss in the league this season, a 3-1 defeat to Mary Louis earlier in the year when a two-out double in the seventh broke a 1-1 tie to win it for the Hilltoppers. History almost repeated itself before McEvitt closed the door.
The senior from Flushing had been cruising, allowing only a one-out single in the fifth to Liz Strein, before taking the mound in the bottom of the seventh. But the pitcher gave up a five-pitch walk to Erin Breen before getting Godziewski to pop out to second and fanning Nicole Losito, her sixth strikeout on the day.
That set the table for Strein, the same player who tattooed a 2-2 pitch off McEvitt earlier in the season for a bases-clearing and eventual game-winning triple. But this time McEvitt needed just two pitches to silence the threat, inducing a pop out to short to end the game.
“I got a little nervous,” McEvitt said. “I just didn’t want to have that happen again. That’s the biggest game of the season by far.”
St. Francis, which managed base runners in every inning, scored both of its runs in the top of the fifth when Christina Aracena led off with a walk and, one out later, Nicole Perkins’ grounder to third baseman Breen was fielded cleanly. But the throw for the force out at second sailed over the outstretched glove of Jennifer Campuzano, allowing Aracena to score. After Perkins stole second, Larissa Pavlovic singled to right to score Prep’s second run.
The win improved the Terriers to 11-3 overall and 6-2 in league play.
Mary Louis 12, St. Agnes 0. The Hilltoppers cruised past St. Agnes Monday, getting two hits apiece from Kelly Conlon and Michelle Walsh to improve to 11-7-1 overall and 8-1 in league play.
Archbishop Molloy 5, Stella Maris 0. Christina Delmaestro went the distance, striking out 10 for the win, while Jacqueline Pizzo had three hits in the win. Molloy improved to 8-8 overall and 6-2 in league play.
Archbishop Molloy 7, Christ the King 1. Delmaestro was tyhe winner for the Stanners, striking out 12, while Kristin Connor provided the offense with four hits and four RBIs.
St. Francis Prep 28, St. Agnes 0. Christina Hunt picked up the win for Prep, while Marissa Evangelista had four hits and four RBIs in a mercy-rule shortened game.
Mary Louis 13, Stella Maris 1. Allison Adamski and Jen Flynn each contributed three hits and three RBIs, while Breen had four hits.
St. Francis Prep 16, Christ the King 7. McEvitt got the win, striking out nine, while Alicia Syrok drove in three.
Bryant 18, Van Buren 2. Amanda Acevedo tossed a no-hitter with seven strikeouts in a mercy-rule shortened five inning game for Bryant (27-2, 10-0 Queens A).
John Adams 13, Cardozo 11. Daniesha Lloyd smacked a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning for John Adams (4-10, 3-6 Queens A).
John Bowne 10, Jamaica 9. Natasha Sharma went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and Marissa Singh had three hits and three RBIs for Bowne (8-4, 7-3 Queens III-B).
Richmond Hill 18, Edison 6. Rachel Babooram went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and Amy Ayala belted a two-run home run for Richmond Hill (14-1-1, 9-0 Queens III-B).
RFK 14, Flushing 8. Patricia Georgi went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and Nicole Sims drove in three runs for RFK (4-6 Queens III-B).
Forest Hills 10, Newtown 7. Jessica Chow had a home run, a triple and five RBIs and struck out four in a complete-game win for Forest Hills (10-5, 4-2 Queens II-B).
Bayside 19, John Adams 0. Kim Hattan went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and Sapphire Edwards had two hits and three RBIs for Bayside (14-4, 7-1 Queens A).
Franklin K. Lane 17, Queens Vocational 7. Crystal Pumarejo went 1-for-2 with a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored and Jamie Bellettini belted a home run with two RBIs and three runs scored for Lane (11-3, 6-0 Queens II-B).
Campus Magnet 10, August Martin 3. Jisett Rodriguez pitched a complete game and went 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs and Nadricka Knight went 2-for-2 with three RBIs for Magnet (4-4 Queens I-B).
Reach Sports Editor Anthony Bosco by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 130.
