Eastport-South Manor softball's Hannah Jaccard, Elsie Martin lead Sharks in offensive outburst
Elsie Martin crosses home plate during a softball game between Deer Park and Eastport South-Manor in Manorville on Monday. Credit: Thomas Hengge
No matter what the scoreboard says, the Eastport-South Manor softball team is always on the hunt.
After allowing two runs in the top of the first, the Sharks went on the attack. Hannah Jaccard’s two-run single up the middle highlighted a six-run first inning in Eastport-South Manor’s 19-6 win in five innings over Deer Park in a Suffolk III/IV crossover game Monday in Manorville.
Jaccard went 2-for-3 with a double, four RBIs and two runs scored and Elsie Martin went 2-for-3 with two triples, four RBIs and two runs scored. All nine of the Sharks’ batters recorded at least one hit.
It marks the fourth time this season that the Sharks have scored 18 or more runs. In each of the Sharks’ five wins, they have scored at least 10 runs.
“We keep the same energy from start to finish,” centerfielder Leah Smith said. “In the first inning, they scored two runs on us and we came right back and answered.”
“We can be up 20 runs and we’re still going to bring the same energy as we would when its 0-0,” Jaccard said. “We just keep the positivity going.”
The Sharks tacked on nine more runs in the second. They totaled eight extra-base hits and were ultra-aggressive on the basepaths. Brooke Springsteen sent a line drive to the wall in right-centerfield and legged out a triple, forcing an errant throw and allowing the junior to score.
“Being aggressive on the bases is so huge in high school and college softball,” Jaccard said. “It’s a huge factor for our offense. You have to take advantage of those opportunities to take extra bases.”
Smith went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, Julianne Swicicki went 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and four runs scored and Kate de Blasi went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs.
Angeley Belliard went 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs, Marissa O’Haire went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs and Jaylene Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI for Deer Park (4-2).
Eastport-South Manor (5-2) was one game away from last year’s Suffolk Class AA final. Even after graduating eight players, the Sharks seem poised to make more noise this year.
“We have a lot of younger girls this year, but there are a bunch of good role models for them,” coach Laura Ward said. “Even in the games we’ve lost, they still keep the energy going.”
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
