Sunday, June 15, 2025
Two years ago, the Hewlett softball team won just one game in 17 tries while wondering if there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Now, it is conference champion with a young nucleus already in place for possibly more titles.
The Bulldogs went 15-2 during the regular season, won their first conference title since 2018, and playoff game in seven years under first-year manager and Conference IX Coach of the Year Jonathon Welsh. The storybook run ended with a 10-5 first-round loss at Roslyn on May 13, but Welsh is still excited about how the sequel will shape out.
“The pieces are there to continue this,” he said, “We’re really happy with where we were. We were really satisfied, but I can tell you the girls that are returning have a sour taste in their mouth from losing that second playoff game to Roslyn.”
Hewlett’s previous loss was an 11-7 setback at home against Valley Stream Central on April 26, a game in which the Bulldogs couldn’t rally after falling behind 6-1. The girls took notice of Central celebrating on their field after the game and hoped that the schools would meet again down the road.
They got their wish on May 12, when senior Rachel Cafaro had two hits and an RBI and seventh-grader Coralia Savin struck out six in a complete game as the Bulldogs exacted revenge on the Eagles with a 5-2 victory in a Class AA play-in game.
“We knew that there was a chance we would draw Valley Stream in the first game of the playoffs and once that was announced, our girls were so excited,” Welsh said. “They were using the line and the motto, ‘remember the feeling,’ because Valley Stream celebrated on our field and our girls were very, very, VERY, VERY, upset about it that we lost that game at home.”
Savin was the unforeseen hero of the team who struggled in the circle during her varsity debut at Lynbrook on March 25 before rebounding to finish 12-2 with a 2.12 ERA and 125 strikeouts. She was named the conference’s Pitcher of the Year and was an All-County honorable mention.
And, oh by the way, she also hit .462 with 31 RBIs and a 1.156 OPS to help a high-octane offense that averaged about 16 runs a game.
“We saw something special in her the minute we saw her throw,” Welsh said. “Having a seventh grader in the circle for a varsity team, you never know what to expect at the end of the day. She is 12. She’s handled herself like she was a senior.”
The Bulldogs are set up the middle with catcher Sarah Oliveros (.311 average, 25 RBIS), who was named a tri-captain despite being a sophomore, All-Conference freshmen in second baseman Riley Lahey (.457-25) and shortstop Alyssa Reich (.480-28), and sophomore centerfielder Liliana Simon (.396-14). Junior third baseman Kayla Owens supplied the power with four home runs.
The team will miss the senior leadership of Cafaro, who batted around .400 this spring, pitcher/outfielder Hayley Henggeler and .460 hitter Ava Morgan.
