Clarke Softball Slides Past New Hyde Park

One hit, one run, one game. That’s what the playoffs sometimes boil down to: a moment one way or the other to decide your fate for the season. or moving out.

For the girls of the New Hyde Park varsity softball team, it was the latter Monday afternoon at as the Lady Rams were the ones going to the Class A semi-finals by way of a 3-2 score.

Tied at two in the bottom of the fifth inning, Clarke’s Aly Smith ended up singling in shortstop Alyssa Colletti with the winning run while pitcher Sarah Cornell was able to work out of a pair of leadoff walks in the sixth to clinch the win.

“She had an awesome performance for us today,” Clarke head coach Chrissy DeMott said of Cornell. “For an eighth grader she was able to handle her nerves and was really hitting her spots out there.”

The Lady Rams scored their first run in the opening frame as first baseman Danielle Ferrara knocked in Demi Shanahan and plated Danielle Ragusa in the bottom of the third with a triple to right to go 2-2 with a pair of RBIs.

New Hyde Park was able to mount a comeback in the fourth as senior Kristi Kofler doubled off Cornell and scored when captain Kayla Robinson blasted one over the centerfield fence.

"All of our girls fought hard today just like they've done all season long,” New Hyde Park coach Jackie Rizzuti said. “It's just unfortunate that we have to end our season here today. Their pitcher pitched really well for them and was able to keep our players off base. That was a big key in the game.”

The Rams will play in the semifinals at Mitchel Field against No. 1 Island Trees at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Do you think the Rams can upset Island Trees? Tell us in the comments.