John Jay Takes League Title with Win Over Panas

Steve DelMoro Speech Before Brooke D'Aleo Memorial Game. And Video Clips.

On Saturday May 17, John Jay traveled to Walter Panas High School and had a league title on their collective minds. The girls didn’t take long to make their feelings known either.

The team opened with three runs in the first inning, and three more on the way, the John Jay Wolves became top dogs with an easy 6-1 road victory.

An inauspicious start for the pac, Elise Templeton stepped in and walked. Not too dramatic, the catcher then stole second base, and it began. Second baseman Riley Foote was hit by a pitch, and Carys Cooper didn’t take kindly to the Panas affront.

She smoked a double to center field, and Templeton came around the bases to score the first run. Not done, Charlotte Bender grounded to second for run number two, and center fielder Bella Barry closed the scoring with a fly ball to center field.

On came Maria DeGaetano with a 3-1 lead, and her start looked like Walter Panas would answer the eventiual champs right back. Maddie Malfant singled to left, and an error by Foote put runners on first and second.

No problem, DeGaetano simply resumed her usual, demonstrated dominance. A strikeout, and two fly ball outs quickly sat down the Panthers.

Unfortunately, the Wolf bats quickly followed suit in seating arrangement. A DeGaetano two out double aside, the pitcher was left stranded and centered herself back in the circle for John Jay.

Not a great welcome either, Sam Koski dug in with her cleets and launched a lead off homer to center, which led to more work for DeGaetano. Breanna Barry singled with one out, and Leyen Prado got her to second on another single.

Two outs in the books, though, DeGaetano got exactly what she needed. A ground ball to short, Laney Daly flipped the ball to third base and preserved the 3-1 game.

Onto the third inning, DeGaetano had her cushion restored and then some. Templeton led off with a triple, and Foote went one better with a home run.

5-1 after two and a half, Panas continued to add a little drama to the story . Natalie Porter singled with two outs, and Carissa Alvarado followed the hit with a walk. Not done, a line drive back up the middle could have been trouble and cut into the lead. Sorry Walter Panas, DeGaetano gloved the projectile and moved the game to the fourth inning.

There, Daly’s leadoff single only delayed the return of DeGaetano’s mastery in the middle of the infield. So did a lead off walk to Emme Rapuano, because the next three Panas batters didn't get a whiff. All three went down on strikes and could only shake their heads.

More than halfway there, John Jay added their last run in the fifth. Cooper doubled with two outs, and Bender sent her third baseman home with a Deja Vu.

Another double, the remainder of the game for Panas was a lot of looking and hopelessly lashing. DeGaetano struck out seven of the last nine batters, and with not much else to do, the rest of Wolves were more than happy to raise the crown with their pitching queen.

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