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New-look Losito lifts Mary Louis over Molloy

By Dylan Butler

“I've never seen a pitcher like her,” the Stanners' shortstop said after Mary Louis defeated Archbishop Molloy High School, 6-3, in a league opener at Cunningham Park Monday afternoon.And neither have her Molloy teammates, even those who stepped in against Losito last year. That's because this is a new Losito, who worked on becoming a more polished pitcher than the one who simply overpowered opponents last year.Instead of relying solely on an almost unhittable fastball, Losito also threw a steady diet of changeups and risers. A year ago Losito, who gave up 3 earned runs on 6 hits while striking out 9 and walking 4 in a complete-game victory, threw her fastball about 95 percent of the time. On Monday she threw more changeups than she had her entire junior season, said Mary Louis coach Tom Sarosy.”We wanted her to do some more things than blow the ball by batters all the time,” he said. “(Mary Louis catcher Michelle Walsh and Losito) have learned to call their own game and they did that most of the time.”Molloy (2-2, 0-1) tried to get Losito off her game with non-stop singing and chanting from the bench. But Losito simply smiled and went back to work.”It's funny,” Losito said. “I'm a senior in high school and that's not going to get to me. I think of it like they're cheering for me.”Losito also punished Molloy at the plate, following Julie Walsh's first-inning triple with an almost identical triple of her own to right-center field. Losito scored on an error two batters later to put Mary Louis (5-0, 1-0) ahead, 2-0.An inning later the Hilltoppers doubled their lead but Molloy pitcher Amanda Rueker shook off early nerves and allowed just 1 hit over the next 5 innings.”She settled down,” Molloy coach Maureen Rosenbaum said of Rueker, who gave up 4 earned runs on 5 hits, striking out 10 while walking 2. “Early in the year sometimes she may give up a run or two and then she settles in so we have to make sure she gets warmed up earlier so that run or two doesn't make or break the game.”Losito tripled again in the third inning and Mary Louis went ahead 5-0 on Toni-Ann Campuzano's sacrifice fly to left field. But Molloy roared back in the bottom of the fourth inning when Chirichella, who singled to center in her second at-bat against Losito, hit a bases-loaded triple up the third base line to bring the Stanners to within 5-3.”I felt pretty good,” Chirichella said. “I knew I could hit her; I got a changeup and just went with it up the line.”After Mary Louis scratched across an insurance run in the top of the sixth, Molloy threatened in the bottom of the stanza, putting runners at first and second with one out. But Losito roared back and fanned Chirichella for a second time and then got Danielle Mascia to ground out to short.St. Francis Prep 12, Stella Maris 0. Nina Cesare had 9 strikeouts in a 6-inning no-hitter and catcher Justine Clifford went 2-for-3 with two RBI for St. Francis Prep (6-1, 1-0 CHSAA) Monday.Christ the King 13, St. John's Prep 1. Gina Arancati had 3 hits and 3 RBI and Danielle Amato added 2 hits and 2 RBI for Christ the King (3-0, 1-0 CHSAA) Monday.Reach Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at [email protected] or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.