Hen Hud Rights Ship; State-ranked (No.11) White Plains on Tear

By Tony Pinciaro

It is difficult enough for a team to replace two outstanding graduate seniors. It’s even tougher when a team also has to welcome a new coach.

HEN HUD faced these situations as Paige Johannsen and Lexi Schaffer received their diplomas last June. However, senior captain Emma Morley and her teammates were quite familiar with their new coach – John Glashoff. And he was no stranger to Hen Hud softball, having coached the team earlier this millennium. Led by pitcher Nikki Tamburri, Glashoff guided Hen Hud to the 2007 Section 1 Class A title.

Having Glashoff as the new coach made the graduation departures of Johannsen and Schaffer somewhat easier to accept.

“Many of us have known Mr. G for a very long time,” said Morley, a four-year varsity starter. “Some of us had him as an elementary school Phys Ed teacher and others played under his coaching on modified basketball and softball so we knew the type of coach he would be. We were very happy to hear that he was going to be our coach.

“Mr. G. brings a positive vibe to the team and he has a great sense of the kind of team that we can be. Because he’s been in the coaching position before, we felt that with the duo of Mr. G and Amy we were going to be heading in a positive direction.”

Glashoff is assisted by his daughter, Amy, a Hen Hud varsity softball alumnus.

Hen Hud had a rough start to the season, but the Sailors have found smoother sailing, winning four of their last five to even their record at 6-6.

“I am very pleased to say that we have a great mix of young girls and veterans,” said Morley, who will attend SUNY-Cortland in September and also play tennis. “Whatever our question marks were coming into this year have been answered very well by the young girls who have shown up and stepped in. McKenna Silverman, Bella Booth and Jasmyne Kessler are all middle-schoolers holding their own at the varsity level and I could not be more pleased and excited for how they are executing.

“Girls like Ja’nae Walker, Angelina Carbone, Emma Johannsen and Kiely Morley are showing that they have just as much fight as last year. I also can’t forget to mention Emma Barbelet and how steller she has been on the mound for us. She’s working extremely hard with the schedule that we have and her pitching performances have been great. We feel we have one of the best pitchers in the league. Our bench players Bella Gagos and Alexis Galarza have played particularly well when they are asked to step up when called upon. I believe we have a very well-rounded team.”

Everyone was involved, offensively, in the Sailors offensive outbursts over Lakeland and Saunders.

Kiely Morley and Walker each had three hits against and Walker led the team with three RBI. Winning pitcher Emma Barbelet had two hits and knocked in two runs and Carbone and Johannsen each had two hits and a RBI.

Hen Hud scored double digits in runs against Lakeland as Silverman was a perfect 5 for 5 with two RBI. Emma Morley added three hits, Walker contributed two hits and three RBI and Kiely Morly added two hits and two RBI.

Barbelet was excellent in the circle in a 3-0 win over Panas, allowing one hit and striking out three. She faced the minimum 21 batters for a seven-inning game.

Walker and Barbelet had two hits apiece and Silverman drove in two runs.

Nyack halted Hen Hud’s momentum with a tough 4-3 victory. Barbelet struck out nine and did not allow an earned run in this game.

Despite the loss to Nyack, Emma Morley feels her team is ready to hit its stride for the stretch drive and sectionals. Not only is Morley looking forward to this, she is enjoying her final year playing softball with her sister, Kiely.

“I’m really excited that I get to take the field with my sister every day,” Morley said. “Kiely is such an asset to this team and she keeps me in check for sure. She works really hard in everything she does and it makes me and our team better.

“I’m very lucky to have been able to take the field with her for the last nine years and I sure am gonna miss it. It’s really played a big role in the bond that we have and I’m excited that I get to compete with her everyday.”

WHITE PLAINS went three for three last week and in dominant fashion, raising its record to 12-1 this season.

The state-ranked (No.11) Tigers began the week with a 6-1 win over Ursuline, completed a season sweep of Horace Greeleyand concluded with a shutout of Fox Lane on Senior Night.

“It was a solid week,” Ava Galligani said. “The team played well in all facets of the game while picking up three wins. We hope to keep things rolling in the right direction.”

Ava Ritterman paced the Tigers’ offense with two hits and three RBI against Ursuline. Emily Anastacio homered, Olivia Doria added a hit and two RBI and Ava Galligani collected two hits. Alexis Tighe rang up 15 strikeouts.

White Plains completed the league sweep over Greeley as Abby Dorchak goes 4 for 4, including three doubles, with a career-best seven RBI. In the teams’ first meeting, Tighe twirled a no-hitter.

Tighe tossed a two-hitter with 14 strikeouts in a shutout of Fox Lane. Tighe and DeLarosa had two hits and three RBI apiece.

YORKTOWN unleashed the aluminum in its three wins last week, outsourcing the opposition, 46-7.

Mia Horn led the offense in a 14-2 win over Byram Hills with three hits, four runs scored and two RBI. Eva Destito added two hits and three RBI and Penny Einhorn scored two twice and drove in two runs. Kate Brown struck out six and helped herself with two hits and two RBI.

Horn took the ball against Gorton and threw a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts. Einhorn had all twos – hits, RBI and runs scored. Alyssa McEniry drove in two runs and scored twice and Ava Huffman singled, scored two runs and had two RBI. Brown led the team with three RBI and three runs scored and Gigi  Bjerke added a hit and two RBI.

The Cornhuskers closed out the week with their eighth win of the season – 17-5 over Rye.

Alicia Cinicola had a hat trick with three hits, three runs scored and three RBI. Sienna Katzenberg scored three runs and drove in one and Kate Piehler contributed a hit and two RBI.

“It was an all-around good team wins as every player had a role and was part of the wins,” Yorktown coach Samantha Giuliano said.

CROTON registered two more wins – 7-6 over Putnam Valley and 18-6 over Byram Hills. Ellie Fredman and Ellie Zamora each went 3 for 4 and Zamora also added two stolen bases. Ashlyn Goldberg singled and doubled and winning pitcher Erin Baumeister collected five strikeouts.

Sophia Misiti fueled the offensive barrage against Byram Hills with five hits, an RBI and three stolen bases.

Baumeister doubled twice, among her four hits, drove in two runs and swiped two bases. Zamora also had four hits, drove in a run and also stole two bases. Charley Benjamin-Eichenberg and Cecilia DeMattia kept the hits coming with three apiece.

PANAS had a busy week, going 2-2. After dropping a 3-2 verdict to North Salem and 3-0 final to Hen Hud, the Panthers came back to beat Sleepy Hollow (on Senior Night), 12-6, and Putnam Valley, 9-1. Lillian Tomlinson and Kiah Edwards each had two hits as North Salem held off Panas.

Breanna Barry pitched well against Hen Hud, not allowing an earned run and striking out four. Panas coach Mike Dillon credited Edwards (left fielder) with making an outstanding catch at the wall.
Kenna Vogel and Tomlinson gave seniors and teammates Abbey Moore and Edwards a victory on their night. Vogel collected three hits and plated three runs and Tomlinson added two hits and two stolen bases.

Dillon was happy for his two seniors.

“Kiah is one of our captains and is an extremely bright young woman with an amazing future ahead of her,” Dillon said. “Abbey was our right fielder prior to being injured for the season while making an outstanding catch in the outfield and then threw to first for a double play. She’s an absolute gamer who works hard every moment. She, also, has a bright future ahead of her.”

Barry was in the spotlight against Putnam Valley as she struck out 10. Vogel doubled twice among her three hits and Tomlinson contributed two hits and two RBI. Jess Caragine also drove in two runs.

FOX LANE had two good wins – 6-3 over Somers and 12-0 over Ossining – before losing to a red-hot White Plains.

Sofia Rodriguez rang up 11 strikeouts against Somers and she also had two hits and two RBI.

Jordana Kerwar had a team-best three hits while Gabby Naar added two hits and drove in two runs. Avery Genovese and Sofia Valente also collected two hits apiece.

“It was a great game against Somers,” Fox Lane coach Toni Ann Licata said. “I was very proud of the girls as everything really came together in this game. The girls fought hard for the win.

“Sofia Rodriguez has been throwing hard and becoming more of a presence in the circle. We might have had a slow start to the season, but I’m confident that in our final two weeks we will play our hardest.”

Rodriguez threw a no-hitter and struck out 10 against Ossining.

Gaby Naar had two hits and knocked in four runs and Sienna Greco drove in four runs, including three on a bases-loaded single. Kerwar scored twice.

LAKELAND split a pair of games. After a 12-1 loss to Hen Hud, the Hornets rebounded to blank Poughkeepsie, 16-0, as Nicole Mautone tossed a no-hitter and struck out 10.

Liliana Aguirre collected one hit and scored a run and Amanda Cohen also had a hit and drove in Lakeland’s run against Hen Hud. Mautone finished with nine strikeouts.

PUTNAM VALLEY began the week with a victory over Yonkers Montessori Academy, but dropped games to Croton and Panas. Freshman Delina Gritz had a huge game against YMA, going 4-4, including two doubles, with three runs scored and a career-high five RBI. Maggie Sampson added three hits, scored twice and drove in a run and Maggie Caputo had two hits, scored three runs and drove in four.

In the one-run loss to Croton, Caputo had two hits, two runs scored and three RBI and Kaleigh Rund also had two hits and plated two runs. Katelyn Flanagan had two hits and scored Putnam Valley’s run and Rund had a triple against Panas.

Ram senior Mikayla Pappas stroked the game-winning, walk-off hit in CARMEL’s 3-2 win over visiting MAHOPAC (5-3) Friday. The Rams improved to 6-5. The two rivals will get after again today at Pac.

 

ANDY JACOBS/DAVID TABER/TIM COURT PHOTOS