South Side turns up the heat

Summer-like heat dominated spring break week and so did South Side’s softball pitching duo of juniors Emily Koluch and Lily McGrath.

Koluch tossed a no-hitter against Jericho with 11 strikeouts April 12 and McGrath followed that performance with a four-hit, 9-0 shutout win and 15 strikeouts against defending Nassau Class B champion East Rockaway last Friday.

“We needed these games and it’s definitely a momentum-builder,” coach Nicole Tufano said after the Cyclones improved to 3-2 in Conference III. “Emily and Lily give us a chance to win every game,” she said. “They’re unique but both throw hard and are able to mix in other pitchers to keep hitters off-balance.”

East Rockaway, which remains in search of its first conference win, managed two hits against McGrath in the top of the fourth inning and loaded the bases with one out but failed to score. The Rocks, who returned only two starters including junior pitcher/center fielder Sofia Ramirez, also managed two hits in the sixth.

“We’re a young team with only two seniors,” East Rockaway coach Joe Lores said. “We’re facing some tough pitching in this conference but that should only help us come playoff time.”

The Rocks remain the highest-rated Class B team in the county and can’t face any of their conference rivals in the postseason. Lores considers Oyster Bay, last year’s Class B runner-up, as the potential biggest challenge for his team come May. The Baymen are unbeaten in Conference V.

South Side’s road to the playoffs is a difficult one. Any team in Conference III not named East Rockaway must win a minimum of 75 percent of its games (12 of 16) to qualify for the Class A tournament.

“One game at a time,” Tufano said.

The offense provided McGrath with all the run support she needed in the bottom of the third. Senior table-setters Jacquelyn Bee and Alice Araneo were the catalysts once again and helped South Side build a 3-0 lead. Bee walked and scored on Araneo’s double. McGrath singled home Araneo, and senior catcher Ashley Sewell scored the third run on an error.

Both Bee and Araneo, coming off Honorable Mention All-County 2022 campaigns, reached base and scored again in the fourth inning as the lead increased to 6-0. Senior Charlotte Schmidt had a sac fly and McGrath drew a bases-loaded walk.

Araneo, who along with senior Olivia Scalere starred at the plate in the 16-0 win over Jericho, drove in Bee in the sixth with a double off the fence in left.

“Jackie and Alice are tone-setters at the top of the lineup,” Tufano said. “Alice hit .500 last year and Jackie batted over .400. We can always count on them to get things moving for us.”

East Rockaway, which hosts the rematch May 5, has a freshman (shortstop Charlotte Webster) and two sophomores (outfielder Sophia Tizio and pitcher Isabella DeCunzo) among its key contributors.

“We’re still finding our way,” Lores said.