Mount Sinai stymies Carey

Carey’s magical softball season came to an end last Saturday afternoon at Hofstra in the Long Island Class A championship game.

Mount Sinai pitcher Emma Wimmer threw a gem, allowing just four hits and one walk with eight strikeouts, and also knocked in the opening run with a single in the top of the second of a 5-0 victory. It was the first L.I. crown for the Lady Mustangs, who earlier last week captured a fourth consecutive Suffolk Class A title.

“She really brought it today and we couldn’t string any hits together,” Carey coach Anthony Turco said of Wimmer, who featured a strong fastball and a dynamic change-up. “She mixed it up well and hit spots,” he added. “There were a few innings I thought we had a chance to get something going, but then she’d get the big out.”

Mount Sinai (23-4) advances to the state semifinals this Saturday at 9 a.m. at Moreau Recreational Park in Saratoga County. The Lady Seahawks, who won six playoff games to capture the Nassau Class A title, finished 15-8.

“It’s a long, tough season and someone has to win and someone has to lose,” Turco said. “I couldn’t be prouder. Our girls brought an entire community together and nobody can take the county championship away from them. The crowd we had today and throughout the playoffs was incredible.”

Mount Sinai managed four hits in the second inning and led 2-0 when Samantha Valenti followed Wimmer’s single with a sacrifice fly. The lead swelled to 4-0 in the third when Molly Birnstill and Julia Golino (3-for-4) set the table with a single and double, respectively. Birnstill scored on an error and Golino came home on Alexa Skulnick’s single, but Carey senior starting pitcher Dana Romano escaped further damage by getting Wimmer on a grounder to short with the bases loaded.

The defense behind Wimmer sparkled in the fourth as a couple of hard-hit grounders turned into fielder’s choice outs, followed by a liner to short. She retired the Lady Seahawks in order in the fifth and sixth and encountered only minor trouble in the seventh with runners on first and second and one out. 

Carey was unable to advance a runner to third base. Senior Francesca Cirone went 2-for-3 and sophomore Arianna Millan and freshman Destiny Nardello were 1-for-3.