Last spring, East Meadow advanced to the state final where it was beaten by Cicero-North Syracuse. “It’s great to win another Long Island championship, but we’re not totally satisfied,” Shapiro said. “We’re capable of going all the way upstate.”

The L.I. title game marked East Meadow’s first action in 10 days. Shapiro, who suffered a minor knee injury during the opening game of the county championship series, allowed five hits, walked four, and struck out six against Hills West. Three of the walks came in a shaky first inning, but she struck out Sarah Auricchio with bases loaded to get out of the jam unscathed.

Shapiro retired the side in order in each of the next two innings and was instrumental in helping the Nassau champs build a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, junior Kristen Lindquist was hit by a pitch with one out and senior Marisa SanAntonio singled. Then with two out, Shapiro blasted a Francesca Casalino pitch that bounced off the fence for a two-run double. 

“She’s an amazing pitcher with amazing spins,” Shapiro said of Casalino, the lone senior on Hills West’s roster. “I didn’t try to do too much. I just wanted to put the ball in play.”

Shapiro took a no-hitter into the fifth, but pinch-hitter Sam Katz broke it up with a leadoff double. Katz took third on Rose Cipoletti’s infield single with one out, but the threat fizzled after East Meadow senior catcher Madison West caught Cipoletti trying to steal, and Shapiro struck out Graber.

“It was Kerri’s birthday, but she gave our whole team a present,” Fritz said.