Elmont captures conference title

Posted

Nearly six weeks after Elmont held a two-run lead over Valley Stream South in a Nassau Conference 6 softball game suspended after five innings, the Spartans were finally able to celebrate.

Senior Alysse Pena singled home sophomore Arashel Vargas with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Elmont a thrilling 10-9 walk-off victory May 9. The Falcons had tied the game with three runs in the top of the seventh but were unable to force extra innings in a game that originated on March 27.

Then, in the regularly scheduled game, Elmont broke out the bats early with six runs on nine hits in the first inning on the way to a conference-title clinching 20-11 win. The Spartans (16-0-1), who last won a conference title in 2018, pounded out 25 hits and scored at least twice in every inning. Junior Megan Ortiz went 5-for-5, Pena went 4-for-5, and senior pitcher Maria Montoya had 5 RBIs to help her own cause.

“I honestly couldn’t sleep the night before knowing how important both games were,” said Montoya, a three-year starter who’s thrown every pitch of every game this spring. “The game we had to resume was back and forth so many times,” she added. “Winning took a lot of pressure off my back and everyone hit great in the second game. I was so happy, I cried.”

In addition to Ortiz, Pena and Montoya, Elmont had six others with multi-hit performances in the 20-run game. Vargas, senior Xochilt Solorio and junior Angel Anderson had three apiece, and senior Gabrielle Duvil and junior Rihanna Staple added two. Anderson, in her second year playing softball and the returning starting catcher, scored five times.

“Our entire team returned and everyone contributes,” coach John Squillace said after the Spartans punched their ticket to the Class A playoffs with a 15-1 win over Friends Academy May 10. “We have a deep lineup and our defense and pitching really improved,” he added.

The biggest stride Montoya made was cutting down on walks, she said. “I spent a lot of time throwing in the gym during the winter and working with coach [Mary] Sieber,” said Montoya, who along with Pena homered against Friends Academy. “The past two years were stressful with all the walks. I was able to improve my control and this year has been much more fun.”

Nine Spartans have scored at least 10 runs, with Anderson and Solorio leading the way with more than 20 each. Anderson leads the team in RBIs with 15, followed by Pena and junior Caitlin Waller.

Defensively behind Montoya, Ortiz (shortstop), freshman Kimberly Martinez Sanchez (second base) and Staple (center field) have been tremendous up the middle, Squillace said.

The race for the conference title was a four-team battle between Elmont, Valley Stream South, Malverne and Lawrence. All four won at least 10 games.

“It was my dream to win a conference title before graduating,” Montoya said. “We had to beat some tough teams to do it, but my teammates are amazing.”