Massapequa International softball rallies in fifth inning to defeat Delmar (Md.) and advance to Mid-Atlantic Region semifinals
Massapequa International pitcher Ruby Ponticello, left, celebrates with catcher Giuliana Cretty after defeating Delmar (Md.) at the Mid-Atlantic Region quarterfinals on Tuesday in Bristol, Conn. Credit: Douglas Healey
For most of Tuesday night’s quarterfinal game, the Massapequa International 12-and-under softball team looked like it was headed toward elimination from the Little League World Series Mid-Atlantic Region Tournament.
Then came the top of the fifth inning.
During that frame, Massapequa sent 10 batters to the plate, collected five hits, reached on two errors, stole two bases and took another three on wild pitches. The girls scored six runs to take the lead for good and plated another insurance run in the sixth inning to beat Delmar (Maryland), 7-4, in Bristol, Connecticut. The win advanced Massapequa to the semifinals, where it will face Toms River (N.J.) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
Massapequa trailed 4-0 through four innings, as Delmar righthander Rowan Preston held its lineup to just two singles and a walk. However, back-to-back singles to lead off the fifth by Emma Kusterer and Emily Cullinan, followed by a wild pitch, set up Ashlyn Lynam with two runners in scoring position and nobody out. She ripped one into rightfield to break the shutout, driving both runners in on an error. Gabby Meyer followed her by blasting a 1-and-2 pitch the other way to deep rightfield, legging out an inside-the-park, two-run home run to tie it.
“I was mostly thinking my goal was to get to third, but as soon as I saw my coach give me the sign to go home, I knew I was getting there,” Meyer said. “I knew we could do it because the energy stayed up, even though we were losing badly.”
Three batters later, with two outs and the bases empty, Sophia Nislow blooped a single into shallow right and then stole second base. Giuliana Cretty grounded one to shortstop and hustled down the line, forcing a rushed throw, which rolled away, allowing Nislow to score the go-ahead run. Milla Sollitto then singled Cretty in to make it 6-4.
In the sixth inning, Lynam blooped an RBI single into rightfield for a three-run lead.
“I’m really proud, and I’m really happy that I got some big hits,” Lynam said. “In the beginning of the game, we were all down and not as loud, but once the bats came alive, the dugout got loud.”
Righthander Ruby Ponticello allowed just two singles and struck out five batters in four scoreless innings in relief. She faced just one batter over the minimum and kept her team within striking distance.
“Once I lock in and get ready, I get excited,” Ponticello said. “Our emotions are definitely different since we lost that first game, but since then, we’ve gotten back up. We’re hoping to win the next one.”
Mike Anderson is a high school sports reporter who has covered 12 sports so far at Newsday. He was the sports editor of Stony Brook University's campus newspaper for two years.
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