Lady Rocks try to rebound

After a promising start to the season, things have not gone well for East Rockaway on the softball diamond of late. The Lady Rocks have dropped four straight and five of their last six games to see their record fall to 5-7 (3-6 in Conference AB-IV.) 

A dearth of offense, shoddy defense, and a makeshift lineup have been factors in East Rockaway’s April swoon. The team has averaged fewer than three runs per game over the four-game losing streak. In back-to-back losses to Jericho and Carle Place, the Lady Rocks managed just three hits per contest. East Rockaway has made more than twice the number of errors its opponents have made for the season.

Despite it all, head coach Joe Lores believes his team could still turn things around in the second half of the season. “We knew coming into the season that we wouldn’t have the pop in the lineup that we had last season,” Lores said. “We need to generate more offense, and find a way to limit the number of outs we give our opponents. If we have everyone here, there’s no reason that we can’t be tough on teams the second time around.”

Attendance has been an issue for the Lady Rocks. East Rockaway has only 11 girls on the roster, and four players were away from the team during the recent spring break. Lores had to call up players from the junior varsity, which left girls playing out of position and the junior varsity unable to field a team.  

One player who has been a bright spot for the Lady Rocks is Gina Skelly. The senior shortstop leads the team in all offensive categories. Skelly is batting .595 with a .674 on base percentage. In a 20-8 victory over Sewanhaka, she was 5-for-6 with a home run and eight RBI. 

Freshman pitcher Corrinne Haab has pitched relatively well in her first season with the Lady Rocks, but she has not received much run support. Haab tossed a one-hit shutout and fanned eight batters in a 12-0 victory when the team welcomed in Lawrence. 

Freshman Michele Sheridan and sophomore Kelly McLafferty were called up from the junior varsity, and both have made the most of the opportunity. Sheridan had a pair of hits in her varsity debut and may have worked herself into the everyday lineup. McLafferty has played the outfield and has also provided the Lady Rocks with pitching depth.

Lores hopes getting his team back together will be a plus. “It’s been tough on the entire program,” Lores said. “The JV won’t get those games back, so they’ve been affected, too. One positive that has come from it is the fact that the girls that were called up took advantage of the opportunity they were given. I’m looking forward to having everyone back for the rest of the season, and hopefully righting the ship.”

East Rockaway hosts Sewanhaka next Tuesday, April 29, at 4:30 pm.