Thursday, October 1, 2026
With four key sophomores as headliners and a new marquee coach, the Plainedge softball team looks to have a sunny future.
Maybe it won't be all grand in 2025 as Plainedge was off to a tough start with three straight defeats but first-year coach Danielle Fazzolare is just getting starting with a revamp.
The Red Devils picked up win No. 1 for Fazzolare last Friday, 8-2 over Calhoun, as Kayla Gately homered and pitcher Savannah Speicher struck out 10.
Fazzolare had spent the past eight seasons as coach at St. Joseph's College in Brooklyn. She is a former Plainedge softball star, graduating in 2006 and still lives in North Massapequa.
"The sophomores are our core group and will get stronger,'' she said. "We're changing the culture, so we're getting some things ironed out with a new coaching staff, learning to work with each other.''
Fazzolare's assistant is Leo Soto. "They needed more positivity in their play and looking for someone to teach them the game while still respecting the game,'' she said.
Fazzolare said she's also on a mission to bring high school softball back to the forefront after a recent dip in participation – not just Plainedge but in Nassau County.
Last season, the Red Devils finished with a 10-4 record in Conference 4, losing in the second round to Clarke. They moved to more rugged Conference 3 this spring.
The stellar sophomore nucleus is led by Speicher and middle infielder Imogen Eaton.
Speicher was an All-County performer as a freshman after throwing 100 strike outs in 97 innings in posting a 10-4 record and 3.24 earned run average. She can also swing the bat, hitting .360 with a .400 on-base percentage. Speicher didn't make an error in the field.
The screwball is Speicher's money pitch. "She has a lot of confidence on the mound and is able to deal with high-pressure situations and move the ball around the plate with a different array of pitches,'' Fazzolare said.
Also a sophomore, Plainedge's speediest star is Eaton, an All-County Honorable Mention who plays second base and shortstop and adds power to the lineup. Eaton hit .404 last season with a slugging percentage of .684 as she slugged four home runs. Her fielding percentage was a solid .882.
"She's a power hitter with a ton of speed, super quick in the field and around the bases,'' Fazzolare said. "She's tiny but mighty.''
The pitcher Speicher is blessed to have a premier catcher in Gately, who is in the same grade. They will be batterymates for a while.
Gately won the Golden Glove and was All-Conference after batting .351 with an on-base-percentage of .489. Gately's fielding percentage was nearly perfect at .984.
"She's a strong catcher, like wall back there,'' Fazzolare said. "Nothing gets past her. She's really good at blocking and framing pitches and is a gap-to-gap hitter for extra bases.''
Add another sophomore who has All-Conference potential in third baseman Meghan Moore. She also is a spot starter/reliever. She hit .324 with an .867 fielding percentage.
There are just four senior starters – one of them shortstop Kimberly Dorane who will play softball at Fredonia. "She has a solid, quick release with the ball and goes hard for every ball,'' Fazzolare said.
"We have a lot of underclassmen starters,'' Fazzolare said. "Those sophomores are young and though they're returning, there's learning to do and pressure situations to learn to deal with.''
