By Joseph Staszewski
Construction has shown that its winning ways didn’t stop with Britney Rodriguez’s graduation.
The current Red Hawks roster, especially new ace Emily Perez, took it as a challenge to show they could remain among the PSAL’s top softball teams, despite the departure of its best player and the remaining core from its 2013 city championship team. Construction began its rise nearly a decade a go and it didn’t want to take any steps back.
“They didn’t want to live under Britney’s shadow,” Red Hawks coach Marco Migliaccio said. “Especially Emily. She went out and she won 13 [league] games this year.”
The last, a 13-4 victory over host and second-place Bayside, clinched the outright Queens A division title for Construction on May 8. The Red Hawks, who lost in the semifinals last season, should receive one of the top four playoff seeds.
“It means lot to win a division title,” Perez said. “It’s been going on for the last seven years. We all came together and we knew that we could do it.”
She was excellent in the circle against a very good Commodores lineup. The senior scattered six hits and struck out nine. She lived on the outside corner. Perez allowed just a run in the third despite loading the bases twice with two outs to keep the Construction lead at 5-3.
“[The umpire] liked my outside pitch so I knew I would keep pounding it there,” Perez said.
Her teammates broke the game open from there, racking up eight runs over the next three innings with help from some sloppy Bayside defense. Construction (14-2) pounded out 12 hits, including two-run homers from both Lizul Portugal and Jayleen Ovalles. The Red Hawks also scored 11 runs in a key win over Francis Lewis on May 6.
Against Bayside, Perez and Nicole Ovelheira each drove in runs during a three-run fourth inning that made the score 8-3. Perez had two hits and two RBI. A two-run homer to center by Portugal was the key blow as the Red Hawks scored three more times in the frame to grab an 11-3 lead.
The blast was part of a huge day for the sophomore shortstop. Portugal was on base and scored all four times, collected two hits and drove in three runs. On most teams she would be in the middle of the order, but Migliaccio leads her off so she can get more at bats and affect the game in different ways.
“Having me there is like getting it started, pumping my team up,” Portugal said. “Any way I can get on, I just want to help out my team.”
Bayside (12-4) knew it didn’t help itself early. Defensive mistakes against a powerful Construction lineup put it in a 5-0 hole after an inning and a half.
“We took ourselves out right from the get go,” Bayside coach Andrew Coligati said. “Mistakes and errors will hurt you any day.”
The Commodores, who have been playing the season in memory of former coach Steve Piorkowski, did rally back. Cheyenne Guevara delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the second to score Gina Sabella, who had three hits. Sabella and Alexandra Damato both drove in runs in the third to make it 5-3. But Construction didn’t let them hang around for long.
The Red Hawks are hoping to carry the team’s momentum into the post season. After a loss to Susan Wagner on April 24, they won seven straight league games on their way to the division title. Now, Construction’s eyes are focusing on the city crown.
“We got the first job done,” Migliaccio said. “Now it starts. Now it starts to count.”
