Walk-off title for Lady Sailors

Last Thursday night’s showdown between Oceanside and Hicksville for the Nassau Conference AA-II softball title lived up to all the hype and needed more than the standard seven innings to decide.

After failing to score in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded and no outs, the Lady Sailors won in dramatic fashion an inning later when junior Nicole Milano singled home junior Alyssa Continanzi for a thrilling 4-3 victory. Continanzi was used as a pinch runner for junior Arianna DeMarzo, who smacked a two-run double with two outs.

“It’s very exciting and a great accomplishment,” Oceanside coach Alyson Lamonte said. “It was a tough conference to win, but we’ve been resilient all season.”

Hicksville scored twice in the top of the sixth to erase a 3-1 deficit and was positioned to take the lead in the seventh until Lady Sailors junior center fielder Deanna Viola gunned down the potential go-ahead run at the plate. “We played great defense,” Lamonte said. “They hit two triples in the sixth that would’ve been home runs without our hustle in the outfield, and the play at the plate was incredible.”

Following her third outstanding defensive play of the night, Viola drew a walk in the bottom of the seventh that loaded the bases. But Hicksville pitcher Jenna Markakis struck out three straight batters to force extra innings.

Oceanside junior pitcher Ashley Davis retired the side in order in the top of the eighth on two strikeouts and a flyout, and Markakis was on the verge of doing the same until DeMarzo’s double set the stage for Milano’s heroics. The game-winning single was Milano’s second walk-off hit this spring, as she had a three-run double to beat Plainview-JFK on April 8.

“Winning in front of such a big crowd on senior night makes it that much more special,” Lamonte said. “It was like a playoff atmosphere. Hicksville beat us the first time at their place, so we had to have it. If not they would’ve had the tiebreaker against us.”

Davis and DeMarzo drove in runs in the first to stake the Lady Sailors to a 2-0 lead. After the Lady Comets scraped across a run in the third, senior Kati Hoffman’s sacrifice fly plated senior Alexa Katz in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-1. It stayed that way until the sixth.

Davis entered the game riding back-to-back shutout victories over Calhoun (4-0 on April 29) and Herricks (2-0 on May 2.) She was masterful against Calhoun, allowing just one hit and walking four while striking out 11. She also helped her own cause with a pair of hits. Senior Cindy Guerrero knocked in two runs. Against Herricks, Davis struck out six and got offensive support from senior Jessica Kambic, who went 3-for-3. “Ashley’s had a big year as a pitcher and hitter,” Lamonte said. 

The Lady Sailors (10-4 overall) will be seeded ninth in the Class AA playoffs and are likely to visit Syosset in Friday’s opening round. Syosset won a non-league meeting, 4-3, April 20. “We’re confident,” Lamonte said.