Softball team shakes off rust, shines against rivals

Softball has been in season since mid-March, but due to other schools dropping their JV program, games have been fairly scarce. However, the week of May 4-8 featured three home games, and the Islanders team was happy to be on the field.

On Monday, May 4, the team faced Pierson for the second time in the season. The first match-up in April had been a run-away win for the Whalers, 17-2. However, the Islanders were determined to show their improvement, and a gritty effort surprised the visitors. The Islanders added 10 runs to their previous score, while the Whalers matched their previous total for a 17-12 win.

On Thursday, May 7, Shelter Island played the Mattituck/Southold/Greenport team. The teams had matched-up on March 24, the first game of the season, and the Islanders walked away with a 29-10 victory. The rematch was closer, which made it entertaining for the parents and fans who bundled up on the sidelines to watch.  

The visiting team had a familiar face on their roster — Eliza McCarthy, a former Island student, who now plays at Mattituck. It was great to see the camaraderie of the former classmates on the field. Lauren Gibbs was the starting pitcher. Lily Potter played catcher and her quick reflexes on passed balls kept the rival runners in place. 

The first at-bats for the visitors ended quickly, with no runs scored. The Islanders took advantage of some uneven pitching, and combined with smart base running, jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first. 

There were only two outs recorded when the team came off the field, which caused some confusion until I learned that there is a new rule in place for JV softball. Designed to help prevent overuse-injuries on developing arms, the maximum number of batters per innings is 10. This also prevents runaway scores when one team is significantly stronger than the other.

The second inning was much more closely played. McCarthy scored a run for the opponents (but the Shelter Island fans cheered anyway), while Maeve Springer, playing first base, contributed to two outs with a nice snag on a throw from Natalie Mamisashvili and a great catch on a pop-up to end the at-bats. 

In the third, Southold put four more runs on the board. The Islanders showed smart defensive moves, with shortstop Elizabeth Weslek forcing out the lead runner on a slow grounder, and Lili Kuhr getting the next out at third. Assistant Ella Fundora and scorekeeper Lexi Jernick had fun in the bottom of the third recording the five runs for Shelter Island. Regina Kolmogorova-Weisenberg, Gibbs, Kuhr, Springer and Weslek all crossed the plate for the Islanders.

In the fourth, Shelter Island continued to score, building a 19-6 lead. However, Southold was not done, and they started hitting in the fifth, closing the gap to 19-12. With the sun going down in the bottom of the sixth, the Islanders began scoring again and ended the night with a nice 28-15 win. The happy team took a victory lap around the bases.

The very next day, the Shelter Island faced the tough Pierson Whalers for the third time this season. The weather on May 8 was quite changeable. Sunny at the start, dark cloud cover rolled in along with gusty winds. As dry infield dust swirled about, a parent asked “Are we in Kansas?” drawing laughter from the stands.

Makayla Cronin was the pitcher for the game, with Mamisashvili behind the plate. Coach Lindsay Rando also made the adjustments to the line-up so that the players could see playing time at different positions.

Shortstop Juliana Medina made a nice catch on a pop-up in top of first. Lexi Bartilucci, who had been in left field, hit a sharp ground ball through the infield to allow Gibbs and Kuhr to score the first runs of the game for the Islanders in the bottom of the first. 

The score was tied 3-3 until the Whalers began hitting well in the third. However, with hits came the opportunity for some nice defensive plays by the Islanders. In the fourth Cronin snagged a ball hit directly at her for an out, then turned and fired the ball to Gibbs at first to double up the runner who had come off the base. Kylie Kuhr Leonard made an excellent stop at short stop to hold a hot hitter to a single in top of 5th.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Islanders were facing a 20-5 deficit, on the verge of getting “mercied.” However, they didn’t give up. Sadie Green-Clark was facing a full count with two outs, but her patience at the plate allowed Lily Potter to score a run in the bottom of 5th, letting the play continue. Emboldened, the Islanders fought back to bring their score to 9.

In the sixth, the Whalers continued to hit. Potter made an excellent catch in left field to end the Whalers’ at bats. The crowd cheered as one parent commented, “Gorgeous hit and gorgeous catch.”

With the shadows getting long, the Islanders made their final stand in the bottom of the sixth. That tenaciousness was best exhibited by Gibbs. She loves to hit and stayed in the box, fouling off 8 balls against the tough Pierson pitcher.  

In the end the Whalers prevailed 23-9, but Coach Rando was effusive in her praise of the effort. “That was a fun week of softball. I’m proud of you. You have improved so much from the start of the year to today.” 

In keeping with the close-knit, family feel of Shelter Island School, she also offered some life advice, “Have a fantastic time at prom.”

And with that, the team packed up their gear, double checked that no litter was left behind and happily headed home for the weekend.

The final home game and senior send-off is Friday, May 15 against Bayport-Bluepoint at 4:30. Come early for the festivities!