Lady Rocks tumble to Port Jeff

If it was a prize fight, it would have been stopped in the second inning. Port Jefferson scored seven runs in its first at-bat and exploded for nine more in the second on the way to a 22-7 rout of East Rockaway in the Long Island Class C title game played June 8 at Minisink Valley High School in Slate Hill.  

The contest was part of the opening round of the state championships. The Lady Rocks cut the lead to 16-7, but never challenged Port Jefferson (18-7). The Lady Royals were beaten 4-0 by Rhinebeck in their next game.

Morgan Sakovich was a perfect 5-for-5 with five RBI and four runs scored, and sophomore sensation Michiko McGivney was 2-for-3 with three walks and three runs scored to lead Port Jefferson’s 19-hit attack. Senior Kim Pacheco had two hits and played a strong defensive game at second base for the Lady Rocks. Pacheco finished the season with a .448 batting average.

East Rockaway coach Joe Lores said his team ran into a strong, confident team. “I knew they could hit, but this was an offensive show they put on,” Lores said. “We compounded things by not getting off to a great start in the field, and things just snowballed. You can’t give a team like Port Jefferson extra outs and expect to win. We didn’t have our best game, and they played very well.”

The Lady Rocks made four errors. Despite the disappointing end, they picked up some postseason honors. Junior Stephanie Loughran was named most valuable player of the Nassau Class C championship series. The Lady Rocks swept the best-of-three with the Lady Quakers. Loughran earned All-Division recognition. Sophomore Lindsey Dinowitz, who made just one error at first base during the regular season, also picked up All-Division honors.  

Senior Allie Pacheco had an All-County season for East Rockaway, which finished with an overall record of 15-6. Pacheco broke the single-season record for home runs by banging out seven long balls. Her 33 RBI and 38 hits placed her in second place in the respective categories for a single-season. Pacheco, who also earned All-County honors in cross country and basketball, batted .507 for the season. She intends to compete in cross country at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Pacheco also received All-Academic recognition.

The Lady Rocks should be in good shape in the coming years, as only the Pacheco girls graduate. With 13 of 15 players on the playoff roster expected to return, East Rockaway figures to be in the hunt for a title as it moves up to Class B competition in 2011. 

Lores said he was pleased with the season. “I have to be honest, if you think back to when we got together in March, nobody would have thought we would have been 15-6 and playing in the state tournament,” he said. “We would have signed up for that. The season was a pleasure.”