By:TONY BELLISSIMO
Vertovez, a senior who threw no-hitters in the Suffolk County semifinals and finals to lead the Lady Lions to the county crown, carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth inning and settled for a two-hitter in a 5-0 victory over Long Beach. The Lady Marines, who beat Hicksville to win their second Nassau County title in three years, managed just a leadoff single from junior Adrien Kaye in the sixth and a two-out single from senior Sarah Axelson in the seventh.
"We didn't generate much offense," said Long Beach coach Carmine Verde, who guided the Lady Marines to an incredible 23-1 season. "They're an excellent team, and they were better than us today."
Vertovez struck out eight and walked none, and West Islip got all the runs it needed in the top of the first inning off junior Jessie Scaglione, who was nothing short of spectacular throughout the season. Consecutive hits by Heather Pall, Vertovez and Alex Contos brought in the game's first run, and Vertovez and Contos scored later in the five-hit inning to make it 3-0. "They were all legitimate hits," Verde said. "Jessie made some pretty good pitches. Their batters deserve all the credit."
Scaglione kept West Islip's offense quiet over the next five innings, retiring the side in order in the second, third, fourth and sixth. But Vertovez, who didn't allow a fly ball to the outfield, was equal to the task.
After Kaye singled to break up Vertovez's no-hitter in the sixth inning, Long Beach had pinch-runner Lisa Innella sacrificed to second by senior Nicole Rubin, and Innella advanced to third on a passed ball. Freshman Melissa Donnelly then hit a bouncer back to the mound. Vertovez threw Donnelly out at first, and Innella, a senior, was cut down at the plate trying to score.
The Lady Lions, who had eight hits, scored a pair of insurance runs in the seventh on RBI's by Caiti Caputo and Vertovez.
West Islip advanced to the New York state semifinals this Saturday in Albany.
"We have to take a step back and look at everything we accomplished," Verde said. "Going undefeated in Nassau and winning a county championship is a lot to be proud of."
