Friday, June 20, 2025
Back-to-back two-run hits with two-outs by Mepham eighth-grader Laci Linekin and sophomore Katelyn Agulles in the bottom of the second inning broke open Saturday’s Nassau Class AA softball playoff quarterfinal matchup with Carey and sent the host Pirates on the way to a 7-1 victory.
Third-seeded Mepham scored five runs in the second and sophomore Mia Troiano added a two-run homer over the fence in left in the third to provide more than enough support for pitchers Vanessa DeLutri and Kiera Ulmschneider. DeLutri, a freshman, worked four innings for the win and Ulmschneider, a sophomore, recorded the final nine outs for the save. Devon Barley had the lone RBI for the sixth-seeded Seahawks, who took down Baldwin 14-6 in the first round May 15.
“I thought we played well and made the most of our opportunities,” Mepham coach Tom Simone said. “We got some big hits, Vanessa and Kiera pitched well and we played strong defense behind them.”
The Pirates (8-9) advance to face No. 2 Glen Cove in a best-of-three semifinal series. Glen Cove won both regular-season meetings. Carey finished 10-9.
“Things kind of unraveled in the second inning and even though we battled, we weren’t able to come back,” Carey coach Anthony Turco said. “We had a fun season even though there were ups and downs. We won eight in a row and lost six straight.
“A few Saturdays ago at practice we decided to play some kick ball and I think that loosened everyone up and helped,” he added. “We responded to win three of our last four which was great.”
Each team had one hit in a scoreless first, but Mepham made Carey pitcher Andrea Arias, also one of the Seahawks’ top hitters this spring with a .500 average (catcher Sabrina Chapman batted .440), make 35 deliveries.
Then in the bottom of the second with two outs, Troiano and sophomore Lauren Leo singled and sophomore Emerson Urthell walked to load the bases. Mepham leadoff hitter Avery Bentancourt then took an 0-2 pitch off her helmet and Troiano scored the game-opening run. On the next pitch, Linekin drilled a double in the left-center gap for a 3-0 lead. Agulles followed with a two-run single to cap the early rally.
“I never want to let a good pitch go by and fall behind in the count,” Linekin said. “So I was ready to swing at something in the zone.”
Troiano, filling in for senior Alyssa Cinquemani at shortstop, was in a zone all day. Troiano reached base in all three at-bats and touched them all in the third with a long homer over the fence in left, scoring senior Julia Corcoran in front of her.
“I waited on the pitch and took it yard,” Troiano said with a smile.
The Seahawks loaded the bases with none out in the fifth as Alessandra Varuzzi, Madison Bourne and Ava Dubin all singled, but Ulmschneider entered the game to put out the fire. Varuzzi and Dublin (3-for-3) also singled in the seventh, but the game ended on a comebacker to the circle.
