A Walk in the Park: Lady Colts Crush Freeport

Softball 101: Wait for your pitch.  The Lady Colts did just that against Freeport on Tuesday.  And waited, and waited...

A run is a run, and Calhoun was more than happy to take a free pass or two.  Or eight.  Red Devil pitchers handed out that many walks in the first inning, helping the Lady Colts to an eight-run outburst en route to an 18-6 rout of visiting Freeport in Conference III-IV crossover action. 

It was the third straight win for Calhoun (4-6). The game was called during the sixth inning, as the mercy rule was invoked.

In the opening inning, it was the Freeport pitchers who were looking for mercy.  Starter Jaritza Jimenez hit Calhoun catcher Marisa Marcigliano, and could not find the plate after that.

The following sequence: two walks, single, two more walks.  Calhoun had a 3-0 lead, and Jimenez departed.  In came Yarisa Lora, and it was more of the same.  Three more walks and an error, and it was 8-0 after one.

"You just have to patient at the plate and know what's a strike and what's not - and what to swing at, and what not to swing at," said Marcigliano, who led the team with four RBIs.

Scoring via walks rather than hits was just fine in coach Jason Boland's view.

"We have gotten better at pitch selection this year," he said.  "We like to see what the pitcher has, and let her beat us."

Rebecca Suss showed a lot more control on the mound for Calhoun.  The sophomore got the start to give Jessica Livingston a breather, and delivered.  Suss went the distance for the win, with a five-run Freeport fourth her only blemish.

"Rebecca has a different type of delivery which is good in contrast with Jessica," Boland said.  "She's righthanded, she ends up changing speeds a little bit."

Suss also delivered at the plate, going 3 for 5.  Her triple in the third kicked off a three-run inning, as the Colts bats came alive, delivering runs in a more conventional manner.

Right fielder Nicole Garifo drove in three runs, as did third baseman Gianna Saladino.  Sloppy Freeport defense helped Calhoun plate five runs in the fourth, and when Marcigliano drove in her final run with (what else) a walk in the sixth to put her team up by 12, the game was called.

The Lady Colts won't have to wait long to try and keep their win streak alive.  They host Port Washington tomorrow, followed by a trip to Valley Stream Central Saturday morning.  Boland said he has not yet decided if Livingston or Suss will pitch, and that he may use them both in one game if necessary.

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