By STEVE SINISKI
In the loss, Clarke demonstrated that it had what it takes to hang with a team of the Knights¹ caliber. Though Floral Park ultimately came out on top, the four-run difference in the final score doesn¹t quite do the Lady Rams justice. Junior Danielle Iovino, the ace of the staff, limited the Lady Knights¹ two most dangerous hitters to just one hit in eight at-bats.
³In the preseason they were ranked number two and we were ranked tenth,² Billia said.
A scoreless game in the bottom of the fourth inning, Iovino left a pitch out over the inside part of the plate that the Floral Park¹s Destiny Ocasio turned into a three-run homer. The Knights tacked on two more runs in the next inning and limited Clarke to just one run, which came in the seventh.
³We learned that¹s why we need to hit the corners,² Billia said of the game-changing pitch. ³The fact that we kept it as close as we did is a huge confidence builder. We fell short at the plate. We had girls in [scoring] position but couldn¹t finish.²
The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for Clarke, and a solid week for Iovino, in her first full year as a starting pitcher. She racked up six strikeouts against Floral Park, seven in a 3-1 victory over Lynbrook on April 24 and nine more in a 4-3 win over Division on April 25.
³She induces a lot of ground balls,² Billia said, noting the importance of the defense behind such a pitcher. ³It¹s important to field the balls [and get the outs].²
The Lady Rams have been strong up the middle thanks to the play of Meghan Sundberg at second and Molly McLeod at short, while right fielder Jessica Chan has already thrown out a runner at first. Billia also credits the defense of catcher Caitlyn Itts, against whom opponents have attempted to steal just two bases.
Iovino has also been a standout at the plate, smacking a pair of homers and driving in all three runs against the Owls, before they finally got the hint that she could swing for the fences and intentionally walked her in the third plate appearance.
In the wins over Lynbrook and Division Clarke jumped out to leads in the first inning, something Billia hopes will continue. Leadoff hitter Amelia Minischetti has been the perfect tablesetter, and Jessica Chan¹s knack for laying down the bunt has helped the middle of the order come up with at least one runner in scoring position. Pearle Yeung is another of the emerging bats in the Lady Rams lineup.
³We¹ve done a good deal of sacrificing and putting runners in scoring position,² Billia said. ³And we¹ve been successful doing it.
³We can¹t sit back, but it feels good to know that we have a little lead.²
