Walk-off win for Lynbrook

The combination of solid pitching and timely hitting is always part of a softball team’s recipe for success. However, bad breaks and injuries can do a number on a team’s psyche.  

In 2015, Lynbrook dealt with season-ending injuries that led to the roster being shaken up, and players being asked to take on unexpected roles. This spring, with a tougher schedule, the Lady Owls have the same level of talent, but this time around they’re healthy. The early results have been strong.

After last Saturday’s dramatic 4-3 victory over visiting West Hempstead, the Owls are 6-2 overall, 5-1 in Conference ABC-IV. Sophomore pitcher Julianne Graepel crushed a home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning to give Lynbrook the win. The Rams fell to 1-4.

Head coach Pete Toscano believes his girls will be tough to beat the rest of the way. “Our lineup is solid from top to bottom,” Toscano said. “We have speed at the top, power in the middle, and more speed toward the bottom. The girls at the top get on base, and it leads to numerous RBI opportunities for those in the middle of the order. I like the way we’re playing. If we do what we’re capable of doing, we can beat anyone in our conference.”

After Graepel set the Rams down in the top of the seventh, the Owls would bring 3-4-5 to the plate in the bottom of the frame. They would only need their three-hitter. Graepel drove a 2-2 pitch from Dana Palermo deep into the left-center gap to give Lynbrook the walk-off win.

“When I saw we had Julianne, Elisabeth DiCarmine and Georgia Krendel coming up in the bottom of the seventh, I was pretty confident we’d find a way to score the winning run,” Toscano said. “I figured Julianne would get on and we’d move her around. It didn’t go that that way, but this way worked, too.” 

A few miscues had given West Hempstead a 3-2 lead as the game went to the bottom of the fifth inning. The Lady Owls were in need of a clutch hit to tie things up and they got it. With Kacie Curran on third and two outs, Katherine Cusack drove a two-strike pitch up the middle to even the score.

A day earlier, the Lady Owls got a huge boost from center fielder Jessica Graepel in a 15-2 victory at Hewlett. The freshman leadoff hitter went 4-for-5 with a home run to lead the way. Graepel, who is a five-tool player, has thrown three runners out at home plate thus far this season.

Whether it’s with her bat or by drawing walks, Cusack, who missed most of last season with an injury, has been reaching base at a remarkable rate. DiCarmine and Krendel have been as good as advertised in the middle of the order. Krendel was 3-for-4 with three RBI in a win over Sewanhaka.

Lynbrook travels to Sewanhaka next Monday for a 10:30 a.m. start.