Hewlett storms past West Hempstead

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Skies cleared in the afternoon, erasing concerns that the showdown atop Conference ABC-IV would be called on account of rain.

But, as the West Hempstead softball team would find out, a kind of flash-flood danger remained.

Keen to avenge a late-May loss – which had been the second-place Lady Rams’ lone conference defeat – and oust top-ranked Hewlett from its undefeated perch, West Hempstead was cruising with a three-run lead behind a seemingly insoluble Dana Palermo, who through four frames had hurled a one-run, eight-strikeout ballgame. But a 10-run deluge buried the bid, lifting Hewlett on top in a topsy-turvy fifth, as the Lady Bulldogs regrouped to outlast visiting West Hempstead, 11-8, on April 20.

“I’m like speechless after that game,” said Hewlett head coach Vinnie Lospinuso, whose team is rounding into postseason form, moving to 8-0 in ABC-IV, 9-0 overall. “Their pitcher was dominating. But our girls fight to the end.”

Emma Blumenstein’s bases-loaded double – the second of three doubles on the day for the freshman – plated two to start the run parade in Hewlett’s comeback fifth. Battery mates Valerie Liao-Greene (pitcher) and Lauren Dori (catcher) each scored and drove in a run during the protracted half-inning, which saw 15 batters come to the plate, and became prolonged by three fielding errors and two wild pitches from West Hempstead.

“Dana (Palermo) did her job, throwing strikes, changing speed,” West Hempstead coach Chris Van Kovics said, as his team dropped to 6-2 in conference games. “But if our defense makes a lot of errors, it’s like giving them another two innings at bat. But Hewlett’s good and they hit the ball hard.”

Blumenstein, batting as a DH, bookended Hewlett’s rally when her second double of the fifth inning put the Lady Bulldogs up, 11-4.

“I have a routine before I hit,” Blumenstein said. “I focus on the field and where I want to see the pitch, so no matter where it is, I only swing when it’s in my strike zone.”

After coaxing two quick infield outs to start the top of the sixth, Liao-Greene surrendered three singles, two walks and third baseman Danielle Cavallo’s two-run hit, which put West Hempstead back in business, cutting the margin to three. The Hewlett righty regained her focus and fanned first baseman Laura Eivazi to end the Lady Rams’ late threat.

Palermo struck out 11 across six innings and led West Hempstead offensively, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs, a walk and a run scored. West Hempstead freshman catcher Kate Shanley finished 4-for-5 with a homer and a double, scoring three times and driving in a run.

Shortstop Harper Manus – the conference leader with six home runs – stayed in the yard but doubled and reached on an error for Hewlett, and twice hustled home alertly from third to score on wild pitches.

“This was big,” Lospinuso said. “They had us but we manufactured runs.”

Hewlett plays four of its last five regular-season games on the road. Its home finale is Thursday against Floral Park at 4:30 p.m.