Seaford Softball Season Ends In State Regionals

softball reached the last stop in what was a remarkable comeback season Tuesday, spotting Suffolk County champions Kings Park 3 runs in the bottom of the first and eventually falling by a 4-2 score in the Class A regionals.

The loss came against the tough pitching of Kings Park’s Lindsay Taylor, who complete shut down the Seaford offense for five innings. Though the Lady Vikings eventually scored twice in the sixth and seventh -- in effect, outscoring their opponents after the first inning by a 2-1 margin -- it wasn’t enough to climb out of the hole they’d dug for themselves.

“Everybody played hard today,” said Seaford first baseman Caitlin Hewitt, who had a double and scored one run for the team. “The hits just didn’t come.”

Kings Park’s big first came on two walks and a single, followed by a bases clearing double by cleanup hitter Reina Torlincasi. Seaford pitcher Lindsay Montemarano settled down after that, spreading three hits and four walks over five innings and limiting Kings Park to one more run -- but the Lady Vikings could produce little offense of their own against the dominating performance of Taylor.

It was not until the top of the sixth that Taylor’s perfect game bid was broken up, as Hewitt lined one over the third baseman’s head and into left for her double. She was bunted over by Toni-Ann Medaglia, and brought home when Hannah Spinola drove one over the first base bag.

“It felt good to finally pull through for the team,” said Hewitt.

Montemarano tacked on another run to lead off the seventh, with a homer to left center that was still rolling as she rounded third -- but Taylor got two ground outs and a pop up to clinch it for Kings Park.

Seaford cleanup hitter Victoria Wink was 0-3 for the day, despite hitting the ball with authority with long drives to centerfield in her first two at bats. Aside from leadoff hitter Nicole Nulty, who also drove one deep, Taylor was able to keep the ball in the infield for much of the game, limiting the Lady Vikings to a total of three hits.

Despite Tuesday's Long Island title game loss, Seaford coach Rob Perpall expressed pride in his team’s accomplishments, in coming back from a particularly slow regular season start. “I didn’t tell the girls this was a good season, I told them it was a great season,” he said. “We made it to the Long Island championships.”

I’m sad we didn’t win,” said Spinola, who like her teammates will finish the year with the Nassau County crown. “But sometimes it’s just not going to be your day. Hopefully we can come back next year.”