Longtime Herricks softball coach Diane Pasatieri looks for certain attributes when she considers calling up a middle school player to her varsity squad.
“Somebody that’s mature, somebody that has the skill to handle it and somebody that plays outside ball, the knowledge of the game,” she said.
Seventh grader Marissa Braito has all that and more.
“When you find a diamond in the rough like this, you want to grab her,” Pasatieri said.
Pasatieri said she’s known Braito since kindergarten – she was her elementary school physical education teacher. But it wasn’t until two years ago when she thought Braito could be special enough to play varsity ball.
“I knew in fifth grade she was going to end up playing with us because she was that determined,” Pasatieri said. “She spends all her time playing softball. She’s committed to it so I knew she’d be great for us.”
Braito, who attends Herricks Middle School, has made a seamless transition to playing varsity ball. A standout on a young team that has taken its lumps since moving up to Conference AA-II, Braito has been a starter from Day One. She splits time between the circle and second base.
“There was some nerves early on because I didn’t really know anybody, but it’s been a really good experience,” the soft-spoken Braito said. “The competition is greater and the girls play at a higher level. It’s just better.”
Teammate Alison Forte said she heard of Braito, but didn’t realize how good she is until the Highlanders first game. From that moment on, Forte and her teammates welcomed Braito with open arms.
“She’s much younger than us so we’re very lenient on her, not that she needs it because she’s very good,” Forte said. “She’s a lot of fun to be around.”
Wins have come at a premium for Herricks this season, but Braito has been a big piece of all three.
She picked up her first varsity win, pitching four innings and going 4-for-4 with three runs scored in a 10-6 win over Farmingdale April 10. She singled in the bottom of the sixth to drive in the go-ahead run in a 7-5 win over Plainview JFK on April 23 and on Friday she earned her second win in a 5-3 victory over playoff-bound Calhoun.
“She’s had the winning hit or scored the winning run or pitched a great game,” Pasatieri said.
Although Braito hasn’t pitched on her travel team, the plan is to have her continue to work in the circle over the next five years at Herricks. In many ways, Pasatieri said Braito reminds her of Marissa Brucculeri, who also played varsity for six years and is now a member of the Herricks Athletics Hall of Fame.
“She’s determined and she’s already slapping and hitting,” Pasatieri said of Braito. “That’s like the next level, being able to slap and get on base. She has probably the best hitting percentage on our team. She’s consistent and really quick.”
Braito, though, is taking it all in stride. She said she’s not the envy of her middle school classmates because she “doesn’t really mention” starting on the high school varsity softball team.
As for her first year on the varsity squad, Braito said she wouldn’t trade it in for anything else.
“This is the best experience I’ve had,” Braito said. “I wont forget this.”
