Seaford Softball Dominates Playoff Opener

The softball team scored a resounding first round playoff win at home Friday, dominating 14th seedeed Valley Stream North (VSN) for seven innings en route to a 6-1 victory.

The win came on good at bats up and down the lineup, and a defense that sparkled on the mound and in the field.

“People underestimate us,” said shortstop Victoria Wink after the game. “We’re ready to go.”

Winning pitcher Lindsay Montemarano completed seven innings of four hit, six strikeout ball, walking two and allowing only one run in the sixth when an errant throw to third allowed a Lady Spartan to score.

For Seaford all nine starters reached base safely at least once on the day.

“It’s a great feeling to get to the playoffs,” said Nicole Nulty after the game. “But it was even greater to see girls up and down the lineup step up the way they did.”

And, after adjusting the relatively slow speed of VSN pitching, the runs came early and often. Wink and Alex Palazzo had back to back RBIs in the first, and in the second Wink drove in two more on a scorching triple to left.

“We were facing a different speed pitcher, and we had to adjust,” said Wink, who ended the day four for four with a triple, two doubles and a single.

The Lady Vikings got another run in the third. Caitlin Hewitt, who had a clean single up the middle to start the inning off, came around to score, after a wild throw to first on a tough grounder by Nulty.

And Montemarco helped her own cause with a towering solo home run blast to left center in the fourth -- sliding into home ahead of the throw for run number six.

Montemarco was dominant on the mound, pitching five innings of one hit shutout ball -- in one twelve out stretch VNS was scarcely able to get the ball out of the infield.

“I treat every batter as if they’re a number or three hitter,” said Montemarco. “But also, I’m confident in my defense.”

With good reason. Montemarco’s solid pitching was aided by sparkling glove work. A nice catch in center by Nulty, ranging to her right, stifled a potential VSN rally in the third. A diving stop into the shortstop-third base hole by Wink kept a scorching hit in the infield in the sixth.

And in the seventh, with one on and a sharp grounder coming her way, second baseman Toni-Ann Medaglia gobbled up the ball, tagged the runner and lobbed to first for a rally-killing double play.

With the win, the third seeded Lady Vikings move to the next round Monday at home against Clarke starting at 4:30 p.m.