Thursday, October 1, 2026
Dominance is the name of East Rockaway’s softball game.
Wins early in the season include, but are not limited to, home runs, batters scoring runs in the double digits, pitchers hammering the strike zone and throwing no-hitters.
After going 16-7 last season, the record was outstanding with a playoff appearance; returning to the diamond this spring meant the players wanted to squeeze out more softball between every inning.
The Rocks opened with a 14-13 win over Baldwin, highlighted by a trio of home runs March 21.
“We’re happy about that, it bodes well for us,” said longtime coach Joe Lores. “Anytime you can start 1-0, we’ll take it and run.”
The concern coming into the season was pitching.
“Now we have Keira Stephens, who pitched against Baldwin, and she kept us in the game,” Lores said. “She didn’t walk people; you can’t defend a walk, you can defend anything else.”
On March 28 against Elmont, Stephens earned her second win of the season in just five innings, striking out a career-high 10 batters. Lores did confess having a senior in the circle is a nice feeling.
Stephens is not the only hurler; the rest of the pitching staff consists of freshman Liliana Germani, who had her first start and win the previous day. She struck out 4 batters and kept West Hempstead hitless through five innings March 25 in a 28-9 victory.
Sophomore Julianna Thorgersen and freshman Khloe Rodriguez round out the pitching staff.
Stephens, a key two-way player, put up three strikeouts in her winning effort, walking five in the process.
A pair of seniors shine alongside Stephens: she’s in 12th grade, as are starting shortstop Charlotte Webster, who opened the season not only as the leadoff hitter but also by going yard twice, and senior first base/outfielder Tristan Conklin, who bats in the clean-up spot.
Webster’s power came through again, this time against West Hempstead with a grand slam.
Her leadership on and off the field is what sets her apart, according to Lores.
“I’ve been coaching her at camp and things like that since she was in the fourth grade, she’s one of our captains [this year],” Lores explained, before mentioning the other captain, complementing Webster, is three-year varsity starter Conklin. “[She] gives us good leadership.”
A freshman you can’t write off is Cassidy Knight, who landed a starting role at third base, also got the nod of batting second in the lineup.
Behind her is sophomore Kristina Wilkerson, the starting catcher who hits for power, before Stephens does more damage at the 5-spot and junior Caroline Cronin at sixth. Rounding out the bottom of the order are sophomore center fielder Leila Perez, Thorgersen in right field and sophomore Cara Agro at second base.
Don’t let the order of the lineup fool you: she might bat seventh, but it didn’t stop Perez’s production at the plate. Against Elmont, in East Rockaway’s 16-4 win, Perez went 3-for-4, reaching base five times, and batting in one run and scoring three. She also homered against Baldwin.
Overall, the threats are everywhere all at once from East Rockaway, and it’s not halting anytime soon.
The Rocks are home this Saturday versus Freeport at 11 a.m.
