What’s the secret ingredient for South Side’s turnaround softball season?
A heaping tablespoon of youthful exuberance served up by five fabulous freshmen.
“Our young energy definitely made everybody step up,” Cyclones coach Angelica Gargiulo said. “Our freshmen entered this year with such strong skill levels and a strong desire to play hard and win, I feel like it made everyone else take it up a level.”
South Side enters the stretch drive of the regular season at 10-3, second place in Conference 4 behind Wheatley. A year after missing the postseason, the Cyclones have clinched at least a play-in game in the Nassau Class AA playoffs.
“Compared to last season, I feel like we’re a completely different team, morale-wise and skill-wise,” Gargiulo said. “The girls have definitely stepped it up.”
The five freshmen announced their arrival early, attending every preseason morning workout. And then when the season started, Evan Trivgno, Isabella Schmidt, Tessa Sanneman, Valentina Marquardt and Sophia Bologna proved they belonged.
“We knew that they were an athletic group, but they also have such high IQs when it comes to playmaking and getting the advanced runner, and where the ball should be,” Gargiulo said.
The Cyclones came out of the gate strong, winning five of their first six games. But it was a 9-7 victory at Wheatley on April 14 that provided a boost of confidence throughout the team.
Playing starring roles in that win were junior pitcher Audrey Morrow, who struck out 13, and senior catcher Kaitlyn Ganly, who went 2-for-4 with a solo home run. Gargiulo praises the duo’s synergy as being a big part of South Side’s success this year.
“I feel like after that game, it set the tone for the rest of the season, where they were like, wow, if we could win this game, we could win our conference and hopefully make it to the playoffs,” Gargiulo said.
The infield defense has been a strong point, with the Marquardt sisters — Valentina and Adriana — on the corners, joined by junior Evelyn Schmitt at shortstop and senior second baseman Clare McKenna at second.
Valenetina Marqaurdt’s speed is a problem for the opposition.
“She's just athletic, fast to the ball, Gargiulo said. “If you get her on base, in seconds, she’s from first to third. She’s always looking to advance on the bases. She’s so fast.”
The outfield consists of Evan Trivigno in left, senior captain Carly Sottovia in center, and usually Madeline McKenna in right.
“It’s a completely different team, and we look really good, and I think everybody really wants us to get into the playoffs,” Gargiulo said. “So I feel like their motivation is going to take us pretty far, hopefully in the postseason.”
A four-game winning streak was halted last Saturday with a 7-6 extra-inning loss to Floral Park. But the Cyclones are hoping to close out the season strong, with pivotal matchups against Wheatley and Hewlett coming up.
“We’re really hoping to now take what we’ve learned and what we’ve seen, adjust to pitching right away, and hopefully secure those wins and just keep up this energy,” Gargiulo said.
