Oceanside comes out swinging

Posted

After three straight nail biters out of the gate, Oceanside’s softball team distanced itself from Hicksville and Syosset in back-to-back Conference AA-I games last week to improve to 4-1.

“It’s the grind we expected,” Lady Sailors coach Joe Supple said. “We’ve been in this conference long enough to know what we’re going to face on a daily basis.”

Oceanside’s offense produced a total of 25 runs in two victories since suffering its lone defeat to MacArthur on April 7. Last Saturday morning, senior twins Claire and Megan McNamara (both 2-for-2 with two runs scored in the top of the first inning) led the hit parade for the Lady Sailors in a 15-0 five-inning win at Syosset, which dropped its fourth in a row.

The game was originally scheduled to be played at Oceanside, but a bus trip and a one-hour delayed start were non-factors. “We put a full game together,” Supple said.

Juniors Taylor Eisel (4-for-4) and Grace Bandini drove in two runs apiece to highlight a 10-run outburst in the first. Bandini added a third RBI in a four-run fourth. Sophomore pitcher Sabrina Seeger allowed three hits and struck out four on the way to picking up the shutout win.

Seeger and fellow soph Elizabeth Campo are splitting time in the circle and at first base, Supple said. “It’s great we have two pitchers we can count on,” he noted. “They’ve got each other’s back. They know when they’re not pitching, they’ll be asked to contribute at first base. It’s a good situation.”

Campo, the primary starter a year ago when the Lady Sailors reached the Nassau Class AA championship series, got her first start since opening day on April 9 and threw six shutout innings in a 10-4 complete-game victory over Hicksville. Claire McNamara, Eisel, who is a red-hot 11-for-19 through five games, and junior Risa Zucker all went 2-for-4, knocked in a pair of runs and scored once.

“We came into the season with four or five hitters we knew we could count on,” Supple said. “The great thing so far is whenever someone has gotten a chance to play, they’ve capitalized on it.”

With senior outfielder Pryscilla Perez returning from an injury, Megan McNamara (10-for-20) moved from center to behind the plate for the Hicksville and Syosset games, providing Bandini with a breather in the process.

Bandini’s sacrifice fly gave the Lady Sailors a 7-6 walk-off victory over defending New York State champion East Meadow in the season opener. Oceanside followed with a 1-0 win over Long Beach when Megan McNamara raced home from third following a dropped third strike. Seeger allowed four hits and had seven strikeouts in the shutout.

"We’re still trying to figure out what our best lineup is going to be,” Supple said. “Now that we’ve been outside for a good stretch, we’ll get a better idea how it’s all going to come together”

With each of the 10 teams in AA-I with at least five games in the books, only Massapequa remains undefeated heading into this week’s action. Because of a rainout, Oceanside meets the Lady Chiefs on April 23 and 24.