Pitching and Defense Lead Rams to Second Round

Solid pitching and good defense are the keys to victory, and that is why Clarke Girls Softball is moving on to the second round of the playoffs.

The Rams, behind seven shutout innings from Sarah Cornell, topped Valley Stream North 4-0 at Friday afternoon.

Cornell was on fire from the get-go. After a fly out to start the game, she struck out 10 of the next 11 batters, bringing a perfect game into the fifth inning.

"I knew it," Cornell said. "I was nervous, and I didn't want to walk anybody."

Clarke squandered some chances in the early innings, six runners on base in the first four innings.

Perhaps the turning point of the game was in the top of the fifth inning. South was threatening with runners on first and second with two outs.  Angela Aragona singled to right, and Nicole Randazzo came up throwing and nailed Ashley Tkacsik at the plate to keep the game scoreless.

"I planned the play in my head," Randazzo said. "I knew she would try for the plate, so I had to make a good throw."

After two were out in the bottom half, Alyssa Colletti hit a double down the line. She attempted to stretch it into a triple, and the throw was wild. Clarke took the lead for good.

"It felt great," Colletti said. "It's nice to pick up the win."

After Cornell worked out of two-out trouble in the sixth, the Rams provided some insurance. McHaela Rotunda executed a perfect safety squeeze to score the first and was rewarded with a base hit as well. Nicole Vevante knocked in runs as well in the frame, with an RBI single and sacrifice fly, respectively.

Cornell worked a 1-2-3 seventh to lock down the complete game shutout. She allowed three hits, two walks and struck out 14 in the contest.

"She was awesome," Clarke Coach Chrissy DeMott said. "We played a solid game today."

Clarke moves on to face rival Seaford Monday at 4:30 p.m. at Seaford High School. In two previous match-ups during the year, Seaford emerged victorious with 9-3 and 11-4 wins.