Offense leads Malverne's success

Scores of 24-16, 24-23 and 29-32 are just a few of the games Malverne’s softball team has been a part of this spring. That’s right, not the football team, but softball.

While the Lady Mules’ high-scoring nature has made them quite noteworthy, it’s the club’s winning ways that has it still relevant as the calendar now turns to May. A victory on April 27 improved Malverne’s conference record to 8-1 this season.

“We’ve been playing pretty well,” Lady Mules head coach Jen Gibbons said. “We seem to be coming together a little bit better now towards the end of the season. We started out the season with a backup pitcher, because my starting pitcher hurt herself. But, now our starting pitcher is back and we’re keeping the games a little bit more in control for us score wise.”

The team seems to have saved its best softball for the final stretch run of the season. Last week, Malverne picked up an 11-6 road win at North Shore and a 10-4 road victory at Great Neck North. Pitcher Christina Sangeniti picked up the win in the circle for the Lady Mules in both games. 

Malverne has been consistently strong throughout the season, largely due to its dynamic offense. The squad’s ability to put up runs helped it get through an early season stretch without Sangeniti. And while the wild high-scoring games may raise Gibbons’ blood pressure a bit, her team has been coming through more times than not. 

“It can be nerve wracking, but my girls can definitely hit” Gibbons said. “We can have one inning that’s not so great, and still come back in games.”

Olivia Quaranto and Alex Delligatti have both been two of the club’s biggest offensive threats this season. Against North Shore on April 24, it was Quaranto that led the way going 4-for-4, and against Great Neck North, Delligatti homered. 

It is not just the middle of the order doing the damage for the Lady Mules either. Malverne has gotten production from just about everywhere in its lineup, from leadoff hitter Micaela Fibauil to nine-hole batter Kelsey Tapley. Even Sangeniti has been a reliable offensive producer.

“The bottom of our lineup has been surprisingly great, Gibbons said. “It’s very helpful when you don’t have a weaker bottom of the order. Our players can pretty much all hit.”

The Lady Mules’ offense could make it one of the more dangerous teams in Conference ABC-V this postseason. Based on what she’s seen over the past few months, Gibbons likes her club’s chances. 

“If we tighten up a bit more on the defense and avoid those crazy innings, we’re an excellent team,” she said. “We have speed on the bases, and in the outfield we’ve robbed a couple kids of home runs. I think they will be pumped up going into the playoffs from doing well during the season. They have the confidence they need to.”