Hew Hyde Park girls win title, again

The Island Now

The New Hyde Park Girls 12U softball team won the Franklin Square Pistillo Fall Classic Championship with a sensationally played 3-2 win over a strong Floral Park team.

The girls from New Hyde Park went undefeated in the fall league then rolled through the playoffs with four straight single-elimination game victories.

NHPLL beat Roslyn, Garden City South and Hicksville before beating Floral Park in the championship game.

This NHP team had some 2010 year. They won the Bellmore Memorial Day Tournament, NJBL league championship, District 29 Championship, Section 5 Championship, New York State Championship and the Eastern Region Championship all in the 10U divisions before playing up this fall and capping a tremendous season with the fall championship.

In all the team went 43-2 in 2010.

They used the same recipe for success all year, pitching, defense and aggressive base running.

As they did all year, Melissa Ward and Jenny Hickey pitched lights out all fall despite having to adjust to the bigger 12-inch softball and the longer pitching distance of 40 feet. Ward and Hickey pitched three innings each in the championship game allowing just three hits each while combining to strike out seven batters.

The defense was tremendous again. Dani Giordano threw a perfect strike from left field to 3rd baseman Maggie Donnelly to nail a runner.

Later in the game Giordano made a great throw to Donelly from 1st base to nail another runner. Ann Grimshaw gunned down the potential tying run in the last inning on a perfect throw to Samantha Merino covering 2nd base on an attempted steal.

Hannah Arkin made a running catch in center field with a runner on 2nd to stop a rally in the 5th inning. Emma Nidermaier cut off a single to right center then threw a perfect strike to Ward who fired to Grimshaw at home plate to get a big out in the 3rd inning.

Sophia Jacoby had two assists at 2nd base. Hickey scored the first run of the game after a single in the first inning, then moving to 3rd on two steals before scoring on an Grimshaw single.

Kim Velsor scored the second run when she led off the 3rd inning with a walk, stole 2nd, moved to 3rd on a perfect bunt single by Kayla Fitzpatrick and then scored on a great base running play on a ground ball in front of the plate.

Samantha Merino had two excellent at bats both ending in walks. In the 4th inning after Merino walked she stole 2nd, 3rd and home on a wild pitch.

That aggressive base running was the difference in every close game all year for this team.

Gabby Morales and Sheila Krische played solid in the outfield all fall, backing up every play on the bases. These girls play excellent fundamental softball. They are ready to move up to the major division this coming spring.

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