Monday, May 12, 2025
After a tough start to the softball season, MacArthur is showing its capability of being a championship contender.
The Generals (6-6) fighting spirit to win under pressure was evident when it rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning in a 3-2 come-from-behind win against neighborhood foe Wantagh April 24 capped off by a Hailey Trapani RBI single. Facing one of the top pitchers in Nassau County, Lucy Olore, MacArthur (6-6) persevered after being limited to just one hit in the first six innings to record its fifth win in six games.
“It wasn't looking good because we really weren't really even getting on base,” said longtime MacArthur coach Bobby Fehrenbach. “They just battled.”
MacArthur set the tables for the comeback when Julia Hart hit a one-out triple and was driven home by a squeeze bunt from Madison Anderson to tie the score at 2-2. Trapani then delivered the winning hit with the bases loaded.
The winning hit continued a memorable final high school season for Trapani, who is batting over. 500. The senior center fielder earned All-County honors the last two seasons and All-State accolades as a sophomore when she hit .440 with five home runs.
“She is very aggressive and a great contact hitter,” said Fehrenbach of Trapani, who has committed to play college softball next season at Division II power Wilmington University in Delaware. “She is doing a great job at the plate whether she is starting off an inning or with runners on base.”
Sophomore Alexandra Livanos has kept MacArthur in games as the team’s lone pitcher with strong control in the circle. Livanos recorded four strikeouts and limited a strong Wantagh lineup to two runs while facing an acre in Olore, who tossed a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts.
“She's not going to strike a lot of kids out, but he's going to battle and pitch to contact and we just have to make the plays behind her,” Fehrenbach said. “We are usually pretty steady defensively."
Livanos is also one of MacArthur’s key hitters and leads the team in RBIs. Junior left fielder Gianna Spaventa, senior catcher Angela Pellegrino and senior shortstop Gabby Silvestri are also in the midst of big offensive seasons.
MacArthur followed up the big Wantagh win with a narrow 7-6 loss at Glen Cove last Friday in which the Generals nearly rallied from a 7-4 deficit in the seventh inning. Pellegrino shined at the plate going 4-for-4.
The Generals will host Oceanside on Wednesday before visiting Farmingdale Friday at 5 p.m. The team’s final two regular season games are scheduled for May 5 against Massapequa and at Seaford on May 7.
After falling just short of repeating as county champions last year with a setback to Bellmore JFK in the Class A championship series, MacArthur is fueled to try and go on another deep postseason run next month.
“We’re getting better every day,” Fehrenbach said. “Come playoff time we will be battle tested.”
