Lady Mules enjoying success

After playing three straight nail-biters against Conference AB-IV softball rivals, winning two and losing one, Malverne came out swinging and completed a season sweep of Lawrence on April 17, 14-4.

Senior pitcher Sydney Witowski helped her own cause by driving in five runs, and eighth-grade catcher Alexandria Delligatti and sophomore Olivia Quaranto hit back-to-back homers to lead the offense for the Lady Mules, who upped their record to 6-2. Delligatti and Quaranto, who bat fifth and sixth in the order, respectively, hit “monster line drives,” according to coach Jennifer Gibbons.

“It was good to see,” she said. “Alexandria hit a hard liner to left, and Olivia followed with a shot to center. I’ve had Alexandria in the clean-up spot for a bunch of games. She’s more comfortable. It’s not easy playing a varsity sport when you’re in seventh grade like she did last year.”

Malverne scored runs in the second through fifth innings. Witowksi hit a two-run triple, a two-run single, and run-scoring single in addition to picking up her sixth win in the circle. Senior Courtney Moore went 4-for-5 and scored three times.

“I’m definitely happy with where we stand,” Gibbons said. “We always tend to finish strong. Some of the close games we’ve had, we get those teams at home the second time around so that’s a good thing.”

Hewlett, which visits Malverne on Thursday, April 30, had the go-ahead run on base with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning when Witowski recorded a strikeout, popout, and a strikeout to preserve the Lady Mules’ 6-4 win on April 8. She had 10 strikeouts on the day and got offensive support from Moore, who had two hits and three RBIs.

In its next game, Malverne held a four-run lead at Lynbrook on April 13 before holding on for a 6-5 victory. The Lady Owls scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh on Kacie Curran’s bases-loaded triple, but Witowski retired the following batter on a grounder to Moore at second base. Seniors Faith Adeyeye and Kym Danns drove in two runs apiece to lead the Lady Mules’ offense.