Kennedy Softball's Season Ends With Loss to Long Beach

Who would be left standing in the tense, first round matchup between Long Beach and Kennedy in the Class AA softball playoffs? It would be whoever made that "one more play," and on this day, it would be the Lady Marines.

Long Beach center fielder Kelsey Larson made a diving catch on a fly ball off the bat of Kennedy's Jamie Demmett to end the game and the Lady Cougars' season. The Lady Marines survived the 4-3 victory to advance to the next round, where they will face Massapequa on Monday.

"That ball drops in, she maybe gets a double, Carly Thea's on deck, a great hitter, you don't know how the game is going to finish up," Long Beach head coach Carmine Verde said.

It's fitting things came down to the very end, as it was a swift, well-pitched game, with hits tough to come by. Long Beach struck first, as catcher Annie Winerip drove in two runs with a single in the first inning.

Kennedy responded in the third, where there was some controversy.

Heather Hulkower drove home a run with a hit, and Stephanie Bauman did the same with a double, but as Hulkower tried to score the go-ahead run, Bauman was thrown out at third. The umpire ruled the out came before Hulkower crossed home, and the game stayed tied at two.

"That's an umpire's call," Kennedy head coach Katie Speiss said. "I could [also] say I wanted my girl at third to be safe, but that's the way the ball goes, and the ball game goes."

Long Beach took the lead in its half of the inning, as Kelsey McLaughlin scored on an error.

In the fourth, up stepped Cougars shortstop Lauren Sustad. She stroked a solo home run to tie things up at three.

In the Lady Marines' fifth, it was first baseman Krystal Carrasquillo at the plate with two outs, and she delivered. Her double scored Winerip to give the home team a 4-3 lead.

"At that point, I was just trying to make contact and try and drive my runner in, I got the job done and it felt good," Carrasquillo said.

Long Beach starter Ashley Martin was outstanding, going the distance and allowing only one walk while striking out 12. Cougar pitcher Gabbi Calia was solid too, allowing only six hits, but it was one too many, as the 11th seeded Lady Cougars (8-7) were eliminated.

"We put up a great fight, we hit the ball well and my pitcher did a great job today," Speiss said.

As for Long Beach (10-9), they get the weekend to enjoy the win, then it's off to No. 3 Massapequa on Monday.

"They're a very tough team -- we've got a lot of respect for Massapequa. It's going to be a big challenge for us, but we're going to come out and give it our best shot just like we always do," Verde said.