Mepham proves a tough out

Mepham threw everything but the kitchen sink at top-ranked MacArthur in the semifinals of the Nassau County Class AA softball playoffs before falling 6-1 in the third game of the best-of-three series on May 21. Seeded fourth, the Lady Pirates (13-9 overall) fell behind from the start in the decisive game on a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning and never recovered.

But it was a team effort in the second game that helped Mepham put a major scare into the No. 1 seed of the tournament. A seesaw battle from the seventh inning on—the Lady Generals scored three to tie in the top of the final inning—ultimately went 13 innings before senior Scholar Athlete Rachel Foley came around with the winning run when senior All-County centerfielder and leadoff hitter, Katie Grodski, laid down a bunt and the throw to third was off line.

“It was one of the better games I’ve witnessed in my career,” Lady Pirates coach Mike Muscara said of the 10-9 win. “To come back three times in three straight [extra innings] the odds are unbelievable.”

Before senior All-Conference pitcher Alexa Boscarino closed the door in the top of the frame with the last of her 190 pitches, the two teams each scored a pair of runs in the 12th, one in the 11th and one in the 10th when the game went to international rules. Under those conditions, the batter making the final out of the previous inning starts the following one on second base.

“Everybody contributed,” Muscara said, noting the multiple sparks necessary to generate runs in four consecutive extra innings. “It wasn’t one, two or three girls. All nine contributed.  Everything just jelled. They never quit and they picked each other up.”

The drama started in the top of the seventh when MacArthur plated three runs to tie the game, 4-4, and nearly had the win. That inning ended at home plate where senior All County catcher Nicole Aliberti corralled a throw from the outfield and tagged the potential go-ahead runner for the third out. As strong as her play was behind the plate, Aliberti played just as big in front of it in the win, pounding out three hits and driving in three.