Rye Neck Scores Early and Often in 10-2 Win Over Pleasantville

The Rye Neck Panthers pounced on Pleasantville in a 10-2 rout Tuesday afternoon, closing out the regular season for varsity softball.

Sophomore Jessica Calvini surrendered just three hits in seven innings, and held Pleasantville (8-12) scoreless through five in another strong outing to improve Rye Neck's record to 14-6.

Calvini's personal win-loss record is 11-5. 

Senior Ashley Rhoden and freshman Taylor Forte scored Pleasantville's only two runs on throwing errors in the top of the sixth. Pleasantville also threatened in the fourth with runners on first and third and no outs. However, Calvini struck out the next three batters to end the inning. She has only allowed 18 earned runs in 19 games, giving her a 1.25 Earned Run Average for the season.

After a scoreless first, Rye Neck jumped ahead 6-0, scoring three runs in both the second and third innings. To start the third, Rhoden, who took her sixth loss of the season, got into trouble by walking sophomores Vanessa Laise and Nicole Pineda. Freshman Nicole Morgan and senior Nikki Amatuzzo scored both runners on singles. Amatuzzo drove in another run in the fifth on a ground out to short.  

Rhoden's tough day continued in the sixth when the Panthers scored another three runs. Six batters reached base before Pleasantville recorded an out, pushing Rye Neck's lead to eight at 10-2. Sophomore Marissa Bello led off with a pop-fly that landed just inside the right field foul line, and later scored on a wild pitch. Calvini helped her own cause by ripping a grounder up the middle for a single. A few batters later, Pineda drove in the second run of the inning. Finally, Rhoden walked junior Stephanie Sciallo with the bases loaded to score the third and final run. Rhoden closed the inning by striking out junior Ashley Cables and sophomore Kirsten Tamucci, and getting Senior Georgia Richardson to ground out to short.

"Eight and 12 they're certainly not happy with," said John Bauerlein, director of athletics at Pleasantville High School, regarding Pleasantville's disappointing season. 

Pleasantville has 11 seniors this season, and will look for some fresh faces next year. Rye Neck faced a similar transition coming into this season, after saying goodbye to four seniors. 

Rye Neck's first playoff game will be Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Rye Neck High School. They do not yet know who their opponent will be—a meeting to determine seeding for the playoffs will be held today.