Long Beach edges Oceanside

Three days after breaking Long Beach’s seven-inning, single-game record for strikeouts in a game, senior pitcher Tonianne Larson had the big hit in the Lady Marines’ 3-2 victory over visiting Oceanside last Friday afternoon in a Conference AA-I softball matchup.

With runners on first and second and two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Larson hit a line-drive single up the middle to bring home freshman Katie Frisch, and junior Paulina Cardona scored on a mishandled relay throw on the same play for what proved to be the eventual winning run. Larson struck out 10 and allowed four hits, including solo homers to Oceanside freshmen Elena Rubino and Catherine Stanford.

“Both teams played great and I’m happy we were able to show ourselves we can win a one-run ballgame,” Long Beach coach Carmine Verde said. “It was an intense game with a playoff atmosphere. It was a good test and we took a step in the right direction.”

Long Beach evened its conference and overall records at 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, while the Lady Sailors dipped to 2-5 in AA-I and 3-8 overall.

“I would’ve liked to have seen some better at-bats in a couple of key innings, but we had a strong effort overall and there’s plenty of positives we can take away,” Oceanside coach Joe Supple said. “Our outfield defense was tremendous and two of our youngest players hit home runs off the best pitcher in the conference.”

Larson, who struck out 18 and hit a long homer to lead the Lady Marines to a 5-2 victory over Syosset on April 18, retired the last six batters she faced after the Lady Sailors got the potential tying run on second base in the top of the sixth with none out. Stanford led off the sixth with a blast over the fence in center and Rubino singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but Larson recorded back-to-back strikeouts and got junior Kaitlyn Schwarz, who made several dazzling plays in right, on an infield pop to end the threat. 

“The first time we played we won 15-3 and I told our girls to expect them to come at us really hard today,” Verde said. “Oceanside is a prideful program and I knew this would be a difficult game.”

Rubino gave the Lady Sailors an early 1-0 lead when she hit Larson’s fourth delivery over the fence in center. Long Beach answered in the bottom of the first on Cardona’s RBI single that brought home recent JV call-up Frisch (3-for-3, two runs) with the tying run.

Oceanside freshman pitcher Hallie Neufeld, making her fourth start since senior Sabrina Seeger went down with a shoulder injury, settled down nicely thereafter and allowed only one hit over the next 14 batters she faced. “Hallie is getting some experience sooner than we projected, but she doesn’t back down from anyone,” Supple said. “She battles.”

The Lady Marines, who travel to East Meadow this Friday, will try for the season sweep when the teams meet for a third time at Oceanside on May 3 at 4:45 p.m.